Jarosław ANDRZEJCZAK | Rafał SZRAJBER
(Institute of Information Technology, Lodz University of Technology, Poland)
Keywords: Information-rich visualization, Information balance, virtual heritage
Abstract:
Nowadays we observe changes in the nature of museum, where the recipient expects availability of new forms of communication, combined with education and informational content. Museum is not longer only a “sacred” place, created to the art contemplation, but a kind of forum and place of getting information and experiment. Also, with the huge increase in the amount of generated information, the existing forms of data visualization are in many cases insufficient. But how to reduce the communication noise, avoid information overload and most importantly – increase cognitive value of the presented resources? Information balance is an answer for that problem.
Information balance is understood as a state in which the amount of information getting to an addressee is regarded as sufficient by him/her (guarantees full comprehension). The disturbance of this balance is achieved through an excess of content or its deficiency. This state is not easily achieved with standard forms of presentation – but it can be achieved using interactive systems. However, there are many ways to provide information balance – by application of information visualization in user interface design, by application of Human Centerd Design in cultural heritage information graphics, or even by use of Augmented Reality or Virtual Reality as a space for presenting and passing the information about works of art and architectural monuments. Not only can the the mentioned solutions expand the scope and method of reception of information but also enlarges the number of its recipients and increasing attractiveness of exhibitions through the use of modern forms of presentation.
Information balance, introduced by authors is important element of human-computer interaction and should be an essential part of the modern interactive systems that transfer the knowledge about the cultural heritage. Selected examples and realizations will be presented to show the possibility of using this theory in practice.