Workshop: 6. Interacting with Statistics: Designing Interfaces to Statistical Databases

Sunday 09:00 - 17:30. Monday 09:00 - 17:30.

Michael D. Levi, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, USA
Frederick G. Conrad, US Bureau of Labor Statistics, USA

Suppose you move to a new neighborhood. You might want to know if you should worry about crime, whether the local schools are good, or whether the drinking water is clean. In each of these cases the relevant information exists in statistical data bases (SDBs). Whether a typical information seeker can find the information, however, is another question.

The purpose of this workshop is to foster the development of better, more usable interfaces to statistical databases: large, numeric data sets concerned primarily with social science. We will focus on the HCI problems that are peculiar to communicating requests for statistical information and presenting the results in a usable form. The outcome of the workshop will include a catalogue of HCI problems related to statistical information, a set of implemented solutions with accompanying commentary, and a set of research topics.

Workshop participants must have concrete experience developing or evaluating interfaces to statistical databases. Applicants should send a 3 - 5 page position paper headed with name and contact information and a one-paragraph biographical sketch. The paper should summarize the types of statistical data sets they work with, the type of usability problems their intended audience typically faces, and one or more useful interfaces they have either designed or evaluated which attempt to overcome these problems. If possible, please email the paper using ASCII, HTML, or Microsoft Word.

More information is on the workshop's web page.

Contact:
Michael D. Levi
US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Room 5890
2 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC 20212 USA
Tel: +1 202 606 6100
Email: levi_m@bls.gov