Talk:Data Visualization

Data Visualization vs. Information Visualization

What are the differences between DataVis and InfoVis? Yijisoo

Hard question

Wohoo - that's the one million dollar question I was thinking about many times ;-)

I've found no definition in literature that would point out the differences between the two terms. Anyways, I tried to differentiate the two terms by means of needed semantics for meaningful visualizations:

Data Visualization: Visualization techniques for data represent a set of parameters over time graphically whereas no semantics are needed in order to create a meaningful visualization (e.g., Scatterplot). This also includes simple processing on raw data that do not require semantics (derived data; e.g., Histogram, Boxplot, mean, other statistical measures, clustering, etc.). Furthermore, data visualization techniques are often of static nature.

Information Visualization: In contrast to the previous class, visualization techniques for information need semantics, i.e., the meaning of different parameters and their interrelationships or structure are important in order to create a meaningful representation (e.g., InfoBUG glyph).

What do you think about this definitions?

-- Wolfgang Aigner 09:43, 6 June 2006 (CEST)

Quite possible. I like your distinction. Some publications I found regarding DataVis mostly come from statistics. I am not sure about the interactivity, though. I noticed some DataVis using interactions techniques. I believe that interactivity was added as they are available with the evolution of computer graphic technologies. BTW, the following google trend might be interesting to you. --Yijisoo 21:57, 7 June 2006 (CEST)

I think you are perfectly right with your observation regarding statistics. It's also what I experienced. Most likely the difference in wording stems from different originating communities, whereas "data visualization" comes from statistics and "information visualization" from computer science. -- Wolfgang Aigner 09:34, 9 June 2006 (CEST)

Google Trend: Information Visualization vs. Data Visualization

Actually, [Friendly and Denis, 2004] provides a good comparisons among infovis, datavis, and scivis in the "Varieties of data visualization" section under the Introduction section. --Yijisoo 23:02, 7 June 2006 (CEST)

Regarding this discussion I recently read a paper by Tory and Möller (A Model-Based Visualization Taxonomy) who are challenging the terms "scientific visualization" and "information visualization". They promote a distinction based on the model of the observational object into Continuous Model Visualization (which corresponds largely with "scientific visualization") and Discrete Model Visualization (which corresponds largely with "information visualization"). They don't use the term "data visualization" at all. -- Wolfgang Aigner 09:41, 9 June 2006 (CEST)