Melanie R. Herrmann|Duncan P. Brumby|Tadj Oreszczyn|Xavier M. P. Gilbert
Does data visualization affect users’ understanding of electricity consumption?
University College London|University College London|Energy Institute|University College London|Imperial College London
different data visualizations investigated enable occupants learn domestic energy consumption smart metering potentially encourage householders change behaviour save energy however concerns exist whether users understand domestic energy feedback two challenges addressed feedback displays typically show aggregate consumption show timeseries data visualizations difficult relate everyday actions household laboratory experiment n 43 assessed changes participants knowledge much electricity everyday actions consume exposed different forms energyconsumption data visualizations 1 aggregated timeseries line graph 2 disaggregated timeseries line graph 3 normalized disaggregated visualization deemphasized time participants played energy game saw simulation participants condition 3 accurate confident posttest judgments everyday domestic electricity consumption participants findings suggest type data visualization affects users understanding domestic electricity consumption visualization disaggregated energy feedback appliance level considered future generations technology