Creating and Evaluating an Interactive Visualization Tool For Crowd Trajectory Data

Abstract: There is currently no set standard for evaluating visualization environments. Even though the number of visualizations has increased, there is a tendency to overlook the evaluation of their usability. This thesis investigates how a visualization tool for crowd trajectory data can be made using the visualization technique of animated maps and the JavaScript library D3.js. Furthermore it explores how such a visualization tool can be evaluated according to a suggested framework for spatio-temporal data.     The developed tool uses data taken from the UCY Graphics Lab, consisting of 415 trajectories collected from a video recorded at a campus area. User evaluation was performed through a user test with a total of six participants, measuring effectiveness as completed tasks, and satisfaction as ease of use for three different amounts of trajectories. Qualitative data was recorded through using the think aloud protocol to gather feedback to further improve the implementation. The evaluation shows that the visualization tool is usable and effective, and that the technique of animated maps in combination with a heatmap can aid users when exploring and formulating ideas about data of this kind. It is also concluded that the framework is a possible tool to utilize when validating visualization systems for crowd trajectory data.