Towards effective data visualization by fusing immersive technology with traditional workflow

Abstract

Decisions are increasingly made based on data in the big data era, and data visualization plays a critical role in assisting people in understanding and making sense of data effectively. It is then curial to make data visualization more ubiquitous and effective for decision-making and problem-solving. However, limited by the 2D display and fixed workspace, data visualization has limited its usefulness towards data-driven decision-making. With the rapid advancement of immersive technologies, i.e., augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), these innovations have shown numerous benefits for making data analysis more effective and ubiquitous via enhanced sensory perceptions, larger display areas, 3D rendering capabilities, embodied interactions, and connections to real-world contexts. However, transitioning visualization workflows from familiar PCs to relatively new and unfamiliar AR/VR immersive environments poses significant challenges. The steep learning curve associated with immersive visualization has impeded widespread user adoption. Besides the steep learning curve, fully transitioning to AR/VR immersive environments might lose the unique benefits of traditional workflows (e.g., precise interaction and strong community support). This thesis addresses these challenges from both individual and collaborative scenarios by fusing immersive technologies with familiar workflows, thereby reducing the learning curve, improving the user experience, and utilizing the benefits of both traditional workflow and immersive technologies. For individual usage, the thesis investigates two techniques, paper (traditional) + AR (immersive) and PC (traditional) + VR (immersive). The paper+AR approach utilizes ubiquitous paper sheets as tangible tokens, capitalizing on users’ familiarity to facilitate seamless interaction with data in AR. The PC+VR technique merges the conventional PC with VR, leveraging the familiar input capabilities of PCs and the expansive display space of VR for visual problem-solving. At the same time, different people have different accessibility and preference toward devices during collaboration. It is also crucial to study how immersive technology could be used in the collaborative traditional workflow. As a result, this thesis studied how a pair of individuals with PC and VR devices, respectively, collaborate and communicate with data visualization during asymmetric collaborative visual problem-solving. By uniting traditional workflows with immersive technology, this thesis seeks to foster wider acceptance of immersive visualization for effective and ubiquitous data visualization. Results from the studies present suggestive evidence of the potential and benefits of combining traditional workflows and immersive environments for data visualization. The design considerations distilled from the studies could inspire novel perspectives on connecting individuals with immersive visualization experiences, laying the groundwork for future advancements in the field.

Date of Award	2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Supervisor	Huamin QU (Supervisor) & Ting Chuen PONG (Supervisor)