Graphical User Interfaces for Business Information Systems

Proponents of computer graphics foresee them having a dramatic impact on decision maker productivity. The availability of inexpensive graphic computer technology permits organizations to rely extensively on graphics for standard information presentations. Despite the claims of the proponents, however, there is little substantial evidence linking the use of graphics with increased management productivity and/or higher quality decisions. Moreover, the use of powerful graphics capabilities by end users, unskilled in graphics design, presents the likelihood that information presentations will suffer rather than improve as computer generated graphics grow in popularity. This article discusses typical and atypical applications of computer graphics for presenting business information. Existing evidence relating the use of graphics with improvements in user productivity is discussed. Much of the article is focused on computer graphics design within the organization including: who should do design, the conceptual foundations of good graphics design, and a set of guidelines and cautions applicable to the design of quality graphics. The article concludes with a list of suggested research topics.