User Comprehension of Complexity Design Graph Reports.

Decision makers spend significant time and effort interpreting information derived from large multidimensional databases; data are usually represented by several dashboard diagrams. The Complexity Design (CoDe) methodology provides a technique modeling graphical reports on data extracted by a data warehouse, where the charts composing the dashboard diagrams are integrated with a visual representation of the logical relationships among them. The generated visualizations (CoDe Graphs) are automatically obtained by connecting dashboard diagrams through graphical conceptual links. After analyzing the state of the art regarding the evaluation of graphical representation comprehensibility, we propose a classification of those evaluation approaches and evaluate the comprehensibility of CoDe Graphs concerning dashboard reports through a controlled experiment, involving 47 participants. Results show that CoDe Graphs reduce participants effort while improving effectiveness and efficiency in comprehension tasks.

Processamento auditivo em teste e reteste: confiabilidade da avaliação / Test and retest of auditory processing: reliability of the evaluation

OBJETIVOS: Verificar a confiabilidade de alguns dos testes que avaliam o Processamento Auditivo Central (PAC), por meio de um estudo do tipo teste-reteste. MÉTODOS: Quarenta indivíduos voluntários, falantes do Português, foram sorteados ao acaso e avaliados quanto ao PAC nas situações de teste e reteste, com intervalos que variaram entre uma semana a um mês. Foram aplicados os testes de localização, memória sequencial verbal e não verbal, dois testes monóticos e dois dicóticos. Estes últimos, escolhidos de acordo com a faixa etária e condições de resposta de cada sujeito. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença entre as orelhas testadas, nem entre as situações de teste e reteste, de todo o grupo. Quando comparados os desempenhos dos indivíduos, cujos resultados apontaram para um transtorno do PAC, com aqueles cujos resultados estiveram dentro da normalidade, em ambas as situações houve variação na maior parte dos testes aplicados. CONCLUSÃO: Os testes do PAC utilizados neste estudo demonstraram sua confiabilidade por meio do teste-reteste.

PURPOSE: To verify the reliability of a few Central Auditory Processing (CAP) tests through a test-retest study. METHODS: Forty Portuguese speaking volunteer subjects were randomly selected and evaluated on CAP abilities in the situations of test and retest, with interval periods that varied from one week to one month. The following tests were applied: localization, verbal and non-verbal sequential memory, two monotic and two dichotic tests. These last ones were selected according to each subject's age and response conditions. RESULTS: There was no difference between the tested ears, nor between the test and retest situations for the entire group. When the performances of subjects indicating an auditory processing disorder were compared to those whose results were within normal limits there was a variation in the majority of the tests, in both situations. CONCLUSION: The CAP tests used in this study indicated their reliability through the test-retest.