Data Visualization and the Impact of “Priming”

Jeremy C. Adams

3 Observations

• Visualizations are a storytelling tool

• Visualizations can prime audiences positively or negatively for decision-making

• Embellishment and obfuscation can lead to poor decision-making

But first, some behavioral economics

Completing the Picture – Part II: System 1 vs. System 2 Thinking. Ameritest. Posted on January 29, 2013, retrieved March 26, 2015. https://ameritest.wordpress.com/2013/01/29/completing-the-picture-part-ii-system-1-vs-system-2-thinking/

Priming Your brain makes automatic associations

What You See Is All There Is

xkcd. retrieved March 27, 2015. http://xkcd.com/1492/

Logical and Skeptical

xkcd. retrieved March 27, 2015. http://xkcd.com/1491/

Caption from chart: FORMER PERIOD PIECES Stories set in the past, but created long enough ago that they were published closer to their setting than to today.

Modern audiences may not recognize which parts were supposed to sound old.

Visualizations as Story Telling Tools

The Classic Example ofNapoleon’s March to Moscow

Positive Visualization Priming

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

The F-22 “Raptor”

Negative Visualization Priming

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INTERNAL USE ONLY

4

Pipeline: Deal State Summary Pipeline Performance Efficiency Pricing Financials

Work In Progress

Deal scenarios modeled for any customer

ApprovedApproved price list drafted

Customer AcceptedIn contract with customer

Pending Approval

Proposal submitted for internal approval

Snapshot as of 5/31/2014

RejectedDeal requires rework

DeclinedCustomer declined proposal

(system launched July 16, 2013)

85 deals 14 deals89 deals

38 deals

41 deals30 deals

29

6072

8396

86

6263

7380

85

6 6 5 4 123

10 6 10 12 147

18

3555

62 70 68

5570

78

89

212 9 13 14 18 17 19 13

2430

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Monthly(Activity(Trending(2 FY14

Work InProgress

PendingApproval

Approved

Rejected

2

6

21

5

12

23

21

20

3 31

2 2

7

13

2 2

6

02468

101214161820

Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

Accepted / Declined

Accepted DeclinedSales Pipeline Visualizations

Notice these attributes:• reads right to left• line charts generally go “up”• no time frame contexts for time

spent in each status

System Adoption Improving, Stagnating, or Declining?

Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14Sales 38 69 78 100 110 115 122 103 118 133 161Finance 6 27 43 57 74 62 35 40 48 61 59Sales % 86% 72% 64% 64% 60% 65% 78% 72% 71% 69% 73%Finance % 14% 28% 36% 36% 40% 35% 22% 28% 29% 31% 27%

86%

72%64%

64%60% 65%

78%

72%71%

69%

73%

0

14%

28%

36%

36%

40% 35%

22%28%

29%

31%

27%

0

0

50

100

150

200

250

Jul-13 Aug-13 Sep-13 Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14

Num

ber

of O

utst

andi

ng D

eals

System Adoption

Sales Finance Sales % Finance %