Beyond the Physical: Examining Scale and Annotation in Virtual Reality Visualizations

Abstract

We examine how viewers in virtual reality (VR) environments interact with simple data visualizations at scales ranging from hand-sized to room-sized. We also explore how the addition of virtual annotation and filtering tools affects how viewers solve basic data analysis tasks. We report on two studies, inspired by previous examinations of data physicalizations. The first study investigated how three visualization sizes, including hand-, table , and room-scale versions, impact viewers’ problem-solving behavior. A second study examined how interactive annotation and filtering tools might support new modes of use that transcend the limitations of physical representations. Our results highlight challenges associated with extreme scales, especially those that require navigation techniques other than physical locomotion, and hint at the potential of interactive annotation and filtering tools in VR visualization environments.