Unlocking the Complexity of Port Data With Visualization

Interactive visual analysis can support displaying complex multidimensional data. We developed a novel system, which can incorporate domain knowledge and visual guidelines, to present complex logistical data. This paper presents the details of the development process of that system. Diagrammatic visualization approach was adopted for presenting multidimensional port data, in relation to events. The paper discusses case studies with land-side data and wharf-side data obtained from Port Botany in Sydney, Australia. We conducted a usability study with 20 students that compared performance with our visualization against a traditional bar chart. Task completion was significantly shorter with the diagrammatic visualization, and the visualization was rated higher in overall user preference.