Analyzing financial data through interactive visualization

Fizi Yadav, Purdue University

Abstract

This investigation explored the role data visualization in the scientific community and its effect on the cognitive ability of an individual. The research attempted to answer the question, " Whether appropriate data visualization helps in better understanding of corporate financial data?" and used quantitative methods to gain an insight. Participants in the study were divided into two groups of 30 each, with one group receiving the treatment devised for the research and the other using the common prevalent method. Both the groups were subjected to a test, based upon the analysis of which a conclusion was derived. The subjects were tested on their cumulative scores on the test as well as the time taken to complete the test. The resulting analysis concluded that visualization did influence the scores and time taken although the difference was more prominent for the scores than for the time. This meant that the particular visualization impacted the accuracy more than the speed. Although this could be disputed by the inverse relationship shared by accuracy and speed, it is in line with the purpose of a true visualization which should aid in better understanding of the underlying data and its relationships.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Whittinghill, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Design|Computer science

COinS