An Evaluation of Formats for Graphic Trend Displays—Experiment II 1

Abstract

This study was designed to determine which of three types of trend formats results in superior performance for a task requiring the subject to make complex decisions. Three commonly used formats were included in the study: line type, vertical-bar type, and horizontal-bar type. Two secondary independent variables were: number of time points and amount of missing data. Results of the study indicate that preference should be given to line-type graphs, followed closely by the vertical-bar type. A secondary finding was that irrelevant points and missing data on graphic trend displays represent important factors in the degradation of operator performance.