Although many well-cited theories or guidelines for visualization design advocate 'minimalism', designers tend to include a wide variety of visual embellishments in their charts. Researchers have examined the effects of visual embellishment on comprehension and memorability of charts under specific conditions, such as charts with a small number of data points that were viewed with no time limit (Bateman et al., 2010). This paper extends previous studies and investigates the effects of visual embellishment given different time limits for viewing these charts. Similar to the Bateman et al. (2010) study, we compared embellished charts (selected from the work of Nigel Holmes) and plain, grayscale charts, but we limited our selection to those that consisted of larger data sets (10 or more data points). Results showed that the presence of a time limit affected comprehension and short-term recall performance, while the type of chart significantly affected short-term recall. In addition, the type of chart affected the time needed to review the chart while answering the questions. Participants found Holmes charts more attractive and memorable.
The high data density on electronic medical record screens is touted as a major usability issue. However, it may not be a problem if the data is relevant and well-organized. Our objective was to test this assumption using a comprehensive set of measures that assess the three pillars of usability: efficiency (both physical and cognitive), effectiveness, and satisfaction. Physicians were asked to go through a series of tasks using two versions of the same electronic medical record: one where all the display items were separated into tabs (the original display), and one where important display items were grouped logically in one tab (the redesigned display). Results supported the hypothesis that combining relevant data in organized fashion into a smaller location would improve usability. The findings highlight the role of good display organization to mitigate the effects of high data density, as well as the importance of assessing cognitive load as part of usability studies.
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