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From: ciemo@bananapc.wpd.sgi.com (Dave Ciemiewicz)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics.visualization
Subject: Re: Out of the lab, into the classroom
Keywords: reuse fabulous
Message-ID: <1991Apr4.174721.7759@dragon.wpd.sgi.com>
Date: 4 Apr 91 17:47:21 GMT
References: <1991Apr2.202227.13796@agate.berkeley.edu> <1991Apr3.172156.3960@nas.nasa.gov> <1991Apr3.193914.4569@agate.berkeley.edu> <1991Apr3.215031.7763@nas.nasa.gov> <1151@durer.cme.nist.gov>
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Reply-To: ciemo@bananapc.wpd.sgi.com (Dave Ciemiewicz)
Organization: Silicon Graphics, CASE Group
Lines: 45

In article <1151@durer.cme.nist.gov>, bagwill@swe.ncsl.nist.gov (Bob Bagwill) writes:
|> On the other hand, scientists may ignore useful data because it doesn't make
|> a pretty picture.  Speaking from zero knowledge, I would guess that
|> grant committees and other investors like pretty pictures.  Scene from
|> NSF committee of the future :-)
|> 
|> Bob Bagwill

Speaking from, an albeit limited, number  experiences in this area, do not
underestimate the power of a pretty picture.  Sometimes you may even want to
target color choices in a visualization based on the target audience.  If
it's to a colleague who will question your choices, you may want to choose
colors that are meaningful.  If it is a sales pitch to your management,
investors, grant committees, et cetera, bold colors and richly saturated hues
seem to work quite well.

For instance, co-workers who came from HP said they used to use what they
called the "Circus" color scheme for graphical UIs when they gave executive
demos.  Why, because management wanted bold colors and thought that was what
people wanted to use day-in and day-out.  Management likes to make suggestions
like "you aren't using enough color".  "It isn't graphical enough."

If the data rotates in 3D and people can play with it, all the more
impressive.  Avoid subtlety when pitching a visualization.  The more
easily anyone can grasp the concept of what you are doing via a visualization,
the more easily it will sell.  One reason you want to use a visualization is
that it allows the audience to "participate" in the discovery you've made.
They can "look" at your data and feel like they are corroborating your
findings.

Basically visualization is not just a analytical tool but it is also a
marketing tool for getting funding for your project and a visual aid for
communicating the results to your audience.

Lately I feel that everything is just marketing and that if you have an
ineffective sales pitch, you can have the best idea in the world and it
won't be received if it's not packaged properly.

-- 

    __   * __   _  __  ___			
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