[IxDA Discuss] Graphical methods for displaying time elapsed

[Ari Feldman]

a pie-shaped device that uses colored wedges to indicate elapsed time?

pro: familiar and universal mechanism to indicate time
con: not granular for timed events that require precise or fine resolution
of measuring time.

Ari

On 3/2/07, dnp607 <dnp607 at pacbell.net> wrote:
>
> Hi All,
>
> I'm wondering if there are any references out there that discuss
> different graphical methods for displaying time in UI?
>
> The problem: My users will be presented with many alarms over the
> course of a 30 minute time frame. I need to display the alarms (in
> color) in such a way that it gives them a historical perspective of
> 1- When the alarm occurred and 2- What color the alarm was...
>
> So far, I'm contemplating:
>
> 1_  A histogram/strip chart.
>         Benefits: It's a common method for displaying two axis. Could be
> used for one axis as well.
>         Drawbacks: Poor discrimination since most lines are bunched
> together
> tightly. Usually hard to follow for nontechnical users.
>
> 2_ A progress bar (horizontal).
>         Benefits: Commonly used for displaying progress
>         Drawbacks: Perhaps too simple - displaying progress is one thing,
> displaying different colored alarms on a progress bar gets cluttered.
>         Example, where "A" is an alarm with color:
>
>         * * * A * * A *
>         <-----Scrolls
>
> 3_ A timed list (vertical).
>         Benefits: Reads like a log, simple to interpret.
>         Drawbacks: ?
>         Example, where "A" is an alarm with color:
>
>         A Time/Date
>         A Time/Date
>         A Time/Date
>         A Time/Date
>
> ...Are there more? Any comments or suggestions welcome.
>
> Best Regards,
> -Dan
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Dan Peknik * NASA Ames Research Center
>        San Jose State University, ID HF/E
> -------------------------------------------------------------
>
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