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Choosing
Effective
Colours for
Data
Visualization
Christopher
G.
Healey
To appear in IEEE Visualization '96 (San Francisco, California)
TR-96-10
ABSTRACT
In this paper we describe a technique for choosing multiple colours for use
during data visualization. Our goal is a systematic method for maximizing
the total number of colours available for use, while still allowing an
observer to rapidly and accurately search a display for any one of the given
colours. Previous research suggests that we need to consider three separate
effects during colour selection: colour distance, linear separation, and
colour category. We describe a simple method for measuring and controlling
all of these effects. Our method was tested by performing a set of target
identification studies; we analysed the ability of thirty-eight observers to
find a colour target in displays that contained differently coloured
background elements. Results showed that our method can be used to select a
group of colours that will provide good differentiation between data elements
during visualization.