VDM Lab
Visualization Decision Making Laboratory, Director Dr. Lace Padilla
We study
The eyes are the windows to the soul - Guillaume de Salluste The eyes are 'the only visible part of the brain.' - Michel Pierre Janisse
The VDM lab examines how people use data visualizations to make decisions and inform their understanding of the world. The lab mission is to help people make their best possible judgments about their health and safety via; 1) developing and testing theories for how people make decisions with visualized data 2) design new visualization approaches 3) working with domain experts to find practical solutions for communicating complex information such as climate change data, forecasts of extreme weather events, and health information
Visual Decision-Making
The way that data is visualized has a profound influence on the decisions that we make. Visualization techniques need to be tested to ensure that they do not produce unintended biases.
learn moreUncertainty Cognition
From weather reports to health diagnoses, uncertainty is pervasive in our everyday lives. However, reasoning with uncertainty is challenging even for experts. We study how to help people make their best possible decisions with uncertainty.
learn moreVisualization for the Global Good
A core tenant of our research approach is to work with groups around the world that stand to benefit the most from research and development. We team up with NGOs, government agencies, and diverse populations to inspire and guide our explorations.
learn moreNews
- Best Paper Award at VIS 2022
- Xiaoying Pu joins the lab as a postdoctoral fellow.
- New NSF award: SAI-2122174: Forest Restoration Visualization
- CBS TV show featured the Dr. Padilla
- Dr. Lace Padilla awarded an APA Early Career Award
- Lab receives an NSF RAPID award to study COVID-19 data visualizations: see video below
Selected Publications
Multiple Forecast Visualizations (MFVs): Trade-offs in Trust and Performance in Multiple COVID-19 Forecast Visualizations
The Science of Visual Data Communication: What Works.
