EYE MOVEMENT-BASED ANALYSES OF GRAPHS AND TABLES: THE NEXT GENERATION

An empirical study examined the accuracy, decision speed, and eye movements of twenty subjects using color and monochrome bar graphs, line graphs and tables for performing three information acquisition tasks: point reading, comparisons, and trends. The prevailing theories from the MIS graphics literature did not predict the results. The paper advocates that the next generation of graphics research adopt a more objective theory of graphics that provides robust quantitative predictions for evaluating the quality of competing graphic designs.