Visualisation for Problem Solving (OCR A Level Computer Science)
Revision Note
Written by: Callum Davies
Reviewed by: James Woodhouse
Visualisation
What is Visualisation?
Visualisation is when data or concepts are presented in simpler form for humans to understand
It will often create a graphical or visual representation of something to understand complex systems or data
Benefits | Drawbacks |
|---|---|
Visualisation can simplify concepts that are easier for humans to understand. | Although it can show data in a visual way, it cannot explain why something is the way that it is. |
It can make it easier to spot new trends and patterns that have not been spotted before. | Different people may interpret the visualisations in different ways. |
It can be used to explain complex situations to allow programmers to get a better understanding of the problems of a current system. | The way that the data is presented can have an impact on its understanding. |
Example Uses of Visualisation
Flowcharts
These are diagrams that represent workflows or processes in a system
They help in mapping out each step, making it easier to predict outcomes
In the example below, the checkout process is a complex user journey that has to ensure users don't check out for items that are no longer available in stock
When buying concert tickets or limited-edition merchandise, these are usually highly volatile episodes for a checkout server, especially when users often have multiple baskets across multiple devices, abandoning journeys and editing basket contents
Using flowcharts to visualise a checkout process
Unified Modeling Language (UML) Diagrams
These provide a standard way to visualise a system's architecture
They are useful for understanding how classes and objects interact with each other
Using UML diagrams to visualise how objects interact with each other in a system
Wireframes
These are low-fidelity design plans that represent the skeletal framework of a program or website
They help with layout planning and user experience design
Using wireframe diagrams to visualise how a user interface will look
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