Strategies for evaluating visual analytics systems: A systematic review and new perspectives

Abstract

In recent times, visual analytics systems (VAS) have been used to solve various complex issues in diverse application domains. Nonetheless, an inherent drawback arises from the insufficient evaluation of VAS, resulting in occasional inaccuracies when it comes to analytical reasoning, information synthesis, and deriving insights from vast, ever-changing, ambiguous, and frequently contradictory data. Hence, the significance of implementing an appropriate evaluation methodology cannot be overstated, as it plays a pivotal role in enhancing the design and development of visualization systems. This paper assesses visualization systems by providing a systematic exploration of various evaluation strategies (ES). While several existing studies have examined some ES, the extent of comprehensive and systematic review for visualization research remains limited. In this work, we introduce seven state-of-the-art and widely recognized ES namely (1) dashboard comparison; (2) insight-based evaluation; (3) log data analysis; (4) Likert scales; (5) qualitative and quantitative analysis; (6) Nielsen’s heuristics; and (7) eye trackers. Moreover, it delves into their historical context and explores numerous applications where these ES have been employed, shedding light on the associated evaluation practices. Through our comprehensive review, we overview and analyze the predominant evaluation goals within the visualization community, elucidating their evolution and the inherent contrasts. Additionally, we identify the open challenges that arise with the emergence of new ES, while also highlighting the key themes gleaned from the existing literature that hold potential for further exploration in future studies.