Abstract
Alternative formats for information displays are sometimes identified as being best suited for presentation of particular types of information. This view is assessed in terms of the role of noise and distortion in the presentation of spatial information. It is shown that introduction of redundant elements may compensate for weaknesses in different formats. Consequently, it is argued that the observed differences among formats may in fact arise from specific design decisions relating to the redundancy in the presented information rather than features inherent to the formats themselves.
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