Formative Evaluation of Flip Zooming: Towards Effective Integration of Detail and Context on Small Displays

We have developed and evaluated a prototype image browser based on flip zooming, a focus+context visualization technique. In a formative evaluation, we contrasted the technique with two other methods to present images. The evaluation showed that users appreciated the overview that the flip zooming prototype provided. However, we also learned that the current prototype lacked some important features, and that some users felt that the flip zooming layout was confusing. By using a formative evaluation method we gained valuable information which may be used when developing this or other focus+context techniques. Keywords Focus+context views, fisheye views, formative evaluation, image browsing, information visualization INTRODUCTION Small screens and the big picture Despite the advances in human-computer interface research during recent years, the basic channel that is used for communicating information from the computer to the user has remained the same: a screen. Computer displays hav..