Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether stakeholders’ understanding of natural resource decision-making was influenced by the form that visualization of environmental changes were presented, using Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere, New Zealand as a case study. An interactive visualization (I-Vis) tool “ElleVis,” developed by (Otinpong 2013), shows the effects of different water levels on the flora and fauna living in and around the lake. An experimental design was used in which 40 stakeholders were randomly assigned to a presentation of this information using I-Vis or a non-interactive paper form of the visualization (NI-Vis). While stakeholders in both groups significantly improved their understanding of information, stakeholders presented with information using I-Vis made a statistically significant greater gain in understanding than those presented information using NI-Vis (t(38)=2.663, p<.05). Semi-structured discussions with participants confirmed the importance stakeholders placed on the interactive nature of the visualizations. The findings inform discussions about how I-Vis tools might contribute to an understanding of environmental management situations where contested resources and/or a multiplicity of interests are involved.

摘要

本研究的目的是使用新西兰的 Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere 作为案例研究，调查利益相关者对自然资源决策的理解是否受到环境变化可视化呈现形式的影响。由 (Otinpong 2013) 开发的交互式可视化 (I-Vis) 工具“ElleVis”显示了不同水位对生活在湖中和湖周围的动植物的影响。使用了一种实验设计，其中 40 名利益相关者被随机分配到使用 I-Vis 或可视化的非交互式纸质形式 (NI​​-Vis) 呈现此信息。虽然两组的利益相关者都显着提高了对信息的理解，p <.05）。与参与者的半结构化讨论证实了利益相关者对可视化交互性质的重视。调查结果为有关 I-Vis 工具如何有助于理解涉及竞争资源和/或多种利益的环境管理情况的讨论提供信息。