Course Description: This tutorial is for researchers and engineers, working in the field of visualization, who wish to conduct user-based visualization experiments with a specific aim of promoting both traditional quantitative human-subject experiments and qualitative methods for assessing usability and insight.

This tutorial presents both quantitative and qualitative approaches to human-subject experiments of visualizations. It covers (1) the basic principles of experimental design and analysis, with an emphasis on human-subject experiments in visualization; (2) formative evaluation methods for iteratively assessing and improving visualization user interfaces; and (3) approaches to designing and conducting qualitative studies that aim to measure the degree to which specific visualization designs afford insight formation.

Who should attend: Researchers and engineers, working in the visualization fields (Vis, InfoVis, VAST, BioVis), who wish to either (1) conduct evaluation experiments with human subjects, and / or (2) gain a better understanding of the basic terminology of experimental design and analysis (e.g., the precise meaning of statements such as [F(2,45) = 5.67, p = .023]), and / or (3) are researching or developing visualizations that can benefit from qualitative user-based assessment (e.g., visualizations that are at or beyond prototyping phases and are readying for potential broader use).

Level of expertise: All Levels. This material is useful to attendees with multiple levels of expertise.