16. Understanding demographic difference in interpretation of information across data visualization types

Data visualizations provide viewers important insights about data and topics of interest. When designing a data graphic, it is important to convey the information in a concise and effective manner; a well-designed graphic provides a clear message and helps the viewer understand the most important information in the chart. However, different types of charts can convey different messages depending on context and purpose. To study how information is interpreted by viewers, we used NORC's AmeriSpeak panel, engaging a nationally representative sample of US adults to answer questions about the information presented in charts. In the study we tested participants' ability to interpret charts by asking them to estimate the value of specific elements in the chart and to assess whether true/false statements were supported by the data. We incorporated various types of questions to represent multiple use cases for the visualization. The survey captured responses to each question and data on several different respondent demographics. We studied the connection between correctness of participant responses and demographic variables. The types of data visualizations shown to participants were varied between rounds of the study, so we could measure the effect of chart types while still evaluating responses on the same questions. We found significant differences in the correctness of answers across levels of educational attainment as well as differences across chart types shown to participants. In this presentation we discuss findings on the performance of various chart types in supporting effective interpretation of the information conveyed. We also review implications for designing data visualizations for a general audience.

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Women in Statistics and Data Science 2024