Towards Using the Critical Decision Method for Studying Visualisation-Based Decision-Making

Hermawati, Setia; Cibulski, Lena; Lawson, Glyn

Abstract

Visualisations provide significant support for effective reasoning and decision-making processes. Its value mainly lies in its ability to turn raw data into actionable insights that lead to a decision. This requires appropriate visual representations that are designed with the decision-maker's way of reasoning in mind. Understanding the cognitive aspects underlying decision-making with visualisations is therefore crucial. Cognitive task analysis methods have been used to elicit expert knowledge in a variety of decision-making scenarios, with the Critical Decision Method (CDM) focusing on the cognitive bases in naturalistic non-routine incidents. In this study, we aim to determine the feasibility of CDM for capturing the expert knowledge, strategies, and cues involved with visualisation-based decision-making processes. Based on an analysis of four semi-structured interviews, we evaluate the method's potential to inform the role of visualisation for human decision-making. We anticipate that our reflections on methodological insights can serve as a starting point for other human factors and visualisation researchers, who aim at studying strategies for higher-level decision-making and problem-solving tasks.

Citation

Hermawati, S., Cibulski, L., & Lawson, G. (2021, April). Towards Using the Critical Decision Method for Studying Visualisation-Based Decision-Making. Presented at Ergonomics & Human Factors 2021, Online

• Presentation Conference Type: Edited Proceedings
• Conference Name: Ergonomics & Human Factors 2021
• Start Date: Apr 19, 2021
• End Date: Apr 21, 2021
• Acceptance Date: Dec 7, 2020
• Publication Date: Apr 21, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jan 15, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 21, 2021
• Keywords: Critical decision method; cognitive task analysis; interactive visualisation; decision-making
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/5227807
• Publisher URL: https://conference.ergonomics.org.uk/
• Related Public URLs: https://events.ergonomics.org.uk/event/ergonomics-human-factors-2021/