Information visualizations for knowledge acquisition: The impact of dimensionality and color coding

Information visualizations - interactive graphical representations of large amounts of abstract data which do not have a natural visual representation - have mainly been used to support information retrieval. This article investigates whether information visualizations are also suitable for fostering knowledge acquisition as well as how information visualizations, from a cognitive perspective, have to be designed to be efficient learning tools. An experimental study provided evidence that information visualizations support knowledge acquisition. In addition, with regard to the appropriate design, the empirical results showed that two-dimensional information visualizations are better suited for supporting processes of knowledge acquisition than three-dimensional ones and that color-coded information visualizations slightly increase performance in a knowledge test compared to monochromatic ones. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.