Guidelines Are Not Rules: Characterizing Terminologies around Visualization Design Guidelines

2026-08-27

AI Summary

研究针对可视化设计指南术语模糊问题，通过专家研究、众包调查及文献分析方法，呼吁更精准地讨论和传达研究成果。

Abstract

A common expectation in visualization research is that outcomes recommend how researchers and practitioners take action or make design decisions. We often express these as "guidelines." Yet, the term "guideline" is both ambiguous and loosely defined, and what one researcher considers a guideline may be too broad, too loose, or too strict for another. We take a closer look at a broader set of terms that can express desirable results around visualization research, and untangle how these words are understood in the community in relation to other similar terms. We base our work on an exploratory study with experts, followed by a crowdsourcing study with a separate mapping phase (n=30) and rating phase (n=42) targeting input from the broader visualization community, and an analysis of the use of terminology in 3,877 IEEE VIS papers published from 1990 to 2024. Based on our findings, we call for more nuanced, precise discussions of research outcomes and their communication to the broader community, including practitioners and students.

Problem

• visualization
• design guidelines
• terminology
• ambiguity

Innovation

• Visualization Design Guidelines
• Terminology Analysis
• Crowdsourcing Study