[Gzz-commits] manuscripts/FilletArt filletart.rst

[Janne V. Kujala]

CVSROOT:        /cvsroot/gzz
Module name:    manuscripts
Changes by:     Janne V. Kujala <address@hidden>        03/05/10 10:50:03

Modified files:
        FilletArt      : filletart.rst 

Log message:
        add marke's text

CVSWeb URLs:
http://savannah.gnu.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs/gzz/manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst.diff?tr1=1.3&tr2=1.4&r1=text&r2=text

Patches:
Index: manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst
diff -u manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst:1.3 
manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst:1.4
--- manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst:1.3     Fri May  2 07:53:09 2003
+++ manuscripts/FilletArt/filletart.rst Sat May 10 10:50:03 2003
@@ -39,6 +39,16 @@
 known as *blending* - creating surfaces that 
 meet several existing surfaces smoothly.
 
+Displaying relationships between nodes by lines or arcs is efficient as
+physical connection makes the nodes to be perceived as parts of a single
+object, according to the law of connectivity (one of the laws of
+perceptual organization). Therefore, the viewer needs no conscious effort
+to perceive the semantic relationship between the nodes. Fillets aim to
+enhance the perception of connectivity by implementing the connecting
+lines with continuity. The node and the connecting line form one object,
+without an abrupt disruption in perception, thus making it easy to follow
+the connection between nodes.
+
 Our use of fillets is entertainingly analogous to the use in mechanical
 engineering: fillets ensure that the human perception system
 doesn't break an object and a connection starting
@@ -50,6 +60,37 @@
 grouping of visual elements, in this case,
 grouping of the node and the connection.
 
+The only disruptions in a fillet graph will be when the connections cross
+each other. Line crossing is one serious factor making it hard to read
+complex node-link graphs. With fillets, tracing a connection is
+perceptually easy even if it crosses with other connections.
+
+We tested the easiness of perceiving fillets in a controlled laboratory
+experiment with ten naïve participants. Eight different graphs were
+tested, of which one was implemented with "perfect" fillets. The other
+seven graphs were "incomplete" fillets or different common node-link
+graphs lacking visual continuity. All types of the graphs were implemented
+in three different sizes. The task of the participants was to recognize as
+fast as possible a connection going behind a node. There was only one
+target connection in a graph. A participant performed this task 24 times
+per graph type.
+ 
+We found that among these eight graph types, fillets did indeed enable the
+fastest perception of connection going behind a node. This indicates that
+fillets have such inherent properties that can help perceiving the
+structure of node-link graphs and thus understanding their contents, as
+these two are closely intertwined. We plan to carry more experiments to
+prove the efficiency of fillets also in more realistic use situations.
+Results from earlier research (Irani & Ware, 2003) indicate that more
+natural-looking nodes and links improve users' recall of the structure of
+the graph. We expect that fillets will prove their usefulness in tracing
+connections in graphs but also comperehending the structure and possibly
+the contents of the graphs.
+
+
+Irani, P. & Ware, C. (2003). Diagramming Information Structures Using 3D
+Perceptual Primitives. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction,
+Vol. 10, No. 1, March 2003, Pages 1-19.
 
 
     Figure: ambiguity, 1/2 page