Visual representations of data are increasingly prevalent, but we lack a detailed theoretical framework to explain what factors make easy or difficult to read and understand; nor do we know how such factors can impact data visualizations’ efficiency as learning material.
In this Master’s Thesis, I address this gap by exploring the validity and applicability of Cognitive Load Theory, an educational and cognitive science theoretical framework, for designing and evaluating data visualizations. Beyond empirical findings, I also contribute an interdisciplinary perspective on the cognitive processing of visualizations, and I discuss implications in assessing readability in visualization studies.
Each participant saw two visualizations: one of each style and content.
This work was conducted for my Master’s Thesis under the supervision of Lorenzo Ciccione, Petra Isenberg, and Tobias Isenberg.