An information design analysis on some prototypes for my MFA thesis project in Design + Technology. Check out my documentation blog (lizrutledge.com/mfa-thesis) for more updates if you're interested!

1. dataPlay
GAME DATA COLLECTION + VISUALIZATION
DESIGNED FOR THE NON-PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE
LIZ RUTLEDGE
INFORMATION DESIGN
SPRING 2012
PARSONS MFA DESIGN + TECHNOLOGY 03/28/2012

2. recreational/student/youth athletes + data =
dataPlay
AN ECOSYSTEM OF STATISTICS TRACKING TOOLS THAT ARE TAILORED TO LACROSSE
BUILT ON A SYSTEM THAT COULD BE USED FOR COUNTLESS OTHER SPORTS

3. WHY:
There is a growing gap between the rapidly expanding
field of data visualization and sports statistics tracking
at the non-professional level.

4. WHAT:
I seek to bridge this gap by creating an ecosystem of
easy to use, cloud-based tools for real-time mobile
statistics collection and visualization.

5. PURPOSE:
1) to facilitate and encourage the collection of data
2) to enable deeper comprehension of the data
through visual exploration
3) to enhance traditional game statistics by tagging
each piece of data with the location and time at which
it was recorded.

6. SO WHAT?
This will allow for both immediate data analysis and
the preservation of spatiotemporal relationships
between events—without the steep learning curve or
prohibitive costs of professional-grade tools.

7. THE PROJECT:
One possible implementation of this system:
an iPad app tailored to the needs of lacrosse.

8. HOW & WHY:
Through a case study focused on several youth
lacrosse teams in New York and the Bay Area,
my project will demonstrate how the thoughtful
reconfiguration of existing technologies can empower
a wider sports community by helping them transform
data into knowledge.

9. RESEARCH
INFORMATION DESIGN +
VISUAL THINKING

10. RESEARCH
VISION AND COGNITION “Cognitive Models “Picturing the
of the Influence of Concepts: An
Color Scale on Data Interactive Teaching
Visualization Tasks” Strategy”
— Human Factors — Thinking Classroom
“The Influence of Information Presentation
Formats on Complex Task Decision-Making
Performance”
— International Journal of Human-Computer Studies
“The Eyes Have It: A Task by Data Type
Taxonomy for Information Visualizations”
— Human-Computer Interaction Laboratory and
Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland

11. CURRENT SYSTEM
THE PAPER SCORE BOOK

12. current data tracking is either WAY too simple... ...or incredibly cramped and complicated.

13. GROUPED IN COLUMNS BUT NO
HIERARCHY TO HELP LOCATE THE RIGHT STAT
current data tracking is either WAY too simple... ...or incredibly cramped and complicated.

14. when someone scores, you
need to find their name, find
the goals column, tick off a
goal, note the time on the game
clock, write down the time, then
record the goal AGAIN down at
the bottom....UGH.
space to hand-write in
25 players—most teams
only have between 16-
20 players on the roster
(wasted space!)

15. COMPONENT 1.0
DIGITAL GAME DATA COLLECTION

16. all stats will be tied to game clock
to enable time-accurate playback
after the game is complete
goals appear wherever you
click the mouse to indicate field
position using Javascript. Future
functionality will including dragging
from the goal location to indicate
an assist and its location.
easy counter buttons
increment using Javascript

17. NO GROUPING OF
STATS—JUST A ROW

19. STATISTICS GROUPED BY OFFENSE
AND DEFENSE TO ALLOW MENTAL
CHUNKING OF ITEMS

20. STATISTICS GROUPED BY OFFENSE
AND DEFENSE TO ALLOW MENTAL
CHUNKING OF ITEMS
BUT:
NO VISUAL CUES: STILL HAVE TO READ
LABELS TO KNOW WHAT YOU’RE PRESSING

21. SIMPLIFIED TO DRAG & DROP
INTERFACE USING ICONS FOR
IMMEDIATE VISUAL RECOGNITION

22. FIRST HALF
SIMPLIFIED TO DRAG & DROP
INTERFACE USING ICONS FOR
IMMEDIATE VISUAL RECOGNITION
COMPLETED PASS FORCED TURNOVER MISSED GOAL GROUND BALL FOUL
MISSED PASS INTERCEPTION GOALIE SAVE ASSISTED GOAL DRAW CONTROL OUT OF BOUNDS
PASSES DEFENSE SHOT ATTEMPTS POSSESSION CALLS
ICONS GROUPED INTO UMBRELLA GROUPS
TO SIMPLIFY VISUAL LANGUAGE/AVOID
INFORMATION OVERLOAD

23. IF AN “UMBRELLA”
STATISTIC GROUP IS
SELECTED, REVEALS
A SECOND LAYER OF
INFORMATION
(BUT ONLY IF
RELEVANT TO YOU)

24. COMPONENT 2.0
GAME DATA VISUALIZATION + MANIPULATION

25. ORIGINAL DESIGN OF
VISUALIZATION INTERFACE:
HIERARCHY IS WRONG!
FIELD AND SCORE ARE MOST
IMPORTANT, NOT CONFUSING
LINE GRAPH OF GOALS
REUSEABLE ASPECT:
USING VISUAL FAMILIARITY
OF SCOREBOARD AND CLOCK
TO MAKE INFORMATION
EASIER TO DIGEST QUICKLY

26. CLEVELAND’S
TASK MODEL
#FAIL

27. INCREDIBLY CONFUSING!
VISUALLY THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIATION
BETWEEN DIFFERENT STATISTICS
CLEVELAND’S
TASK MODEL
#FAIL

28. INCREDIBLY CONFUSING!
VISUALLY THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIATION
BETWEEN DIFFERENT STATISTICS
INTENSE COLOR ON BAR CHARTS MAKES
THEM APPEAR MOST IMPORTANT
(WHEREASE THE FIELD AND CLOCK HAVE
MOST IMPORTANCE)
CLEVELAND’S
TASK MODEL
#FAIL

29. INCREDIBLY CONFUSING!
VISUALLY THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIATION
BETWEEN DIFFERENT STATISTICS
INTENSE COLOR ON BAR CHARTS MAKES
THEM APPEAR MOST IMPORTANT
(WHEREASE THE FIELD AND CLOCK HAVE
MOST IMPORTANCE)
BREAKING VISUAL LANGUAGE OF BAR
CHARTS WITH LINE CHART—NEED TO BE
CONSISTENT TO TRAIN THE VIEWER CLEVELAND’S
TASK MODEL
UTTERLY UN-SCANNABLE #FAIL

30. THE NEW
VISUALIZATION FIELD GIVEN THE
DASHBOARD SIZE AND SPACE IT
DESERVES FOR A
LOCATION-INCLUSIVE
VISUALIZATION
INTERFACE

31. THE NEW
VISUALIZATION FIELD GIVEN THE
DASHBOARD SIZE AND SPACE IT
DESERVES FOR A
LOCATION-INCLUSIVE
VISUALIZATION
INTERFACE
LESS SPACE DEDICATED
TO BAR CHARTS BUT WITH
ADDED VISUAL AIDS (ICONS)

32. THE NEW
VISUALIZATION FIELD GIVEN THE
DASHBOARD SIZE AND SPACE IT
DESERVES FOR A
LOCATION-INCLUSIVE
VISUALIZATION
INTERFACE
LESS SPACE DEDICATED
TO BAR CHARTS BUT WITH
ADDED VISUAL AIDS (ICONS)
LESS SPACE USED
BUT CLEARER DUE TO
CONSISTER BAR CHART
LANGUAGE

33. THANKYOU!