TY - GEN
T1 - Diagrams as tools in the design of information systems
AU - Nickerson, Jeffrey V.
AU - Corter, James E.
AU - Tversky, Barbara
AU - Zahner, Doris
AU - Rho, Yun Jin
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Design typically relies on diagrams to offload memory and information processing and to promote discovery and inferences. Design of information systems, in contrast to design of buildings and products, depends on topological connectivity rather than Euclidean distance. Understanding graph topology and manipulating graphs are essential skills in the design of information systems, because graph manipulation facilitates the refinement of designs and the generation of alternative designs. Here, we found that students of systems design have difficulties interpreting diagrams, revealing two biases, a sequential bias and a reading order bias. The results have implications for teaching as well as diagram design.
AB - Design typically relies on diagrams to offload memory and information processing and to promote discovery and inferences. Design of information systems, in contrast to design of buildings and products, depends on topological connectivity rather than Euclidean distance. Understanding graph topology and manipulating graphs are essential skills in the design of information systems, because graph manipulation facilitates the refinement of designs and the generation of alternative designs. Here, we found that students of systems design have difficulties interpreting diagrams, revealing two biases, a sequential bias and a reading order bias. The results have implications for teaching as well as diagram design.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80052115227&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80052115227&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-1-4020-8728-8_6
DO - 10.1007/978-1-4020-8728-8_6
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:80052115227
SN - 9781402087271
T3 - Design Computing and Cognition '08 - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition
SP - 103
EP - 122
BT - Design Computing and Cognition '08 - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Design Computing and Cognition
ER -