Informative or misleading? Heatmaps deconstructed

Abstract

Eye tracking heatmaps have become very popular and easy to create over the last few years. They are very compelling and can be effective in summarizing and communicating data. However, heatmaps are often used incorrectly and for the wrong reasons. In addition, many do not include all the information that is necessary for proper interpretation. This paper describes several types of heatmaps as representations of different aspects of visual attention, and provides guidance on when to use and how to interpret heatmaps. It explains how heatmaps are created and how their appearance can be modified by manipulating different display settings. Guidelines for proper use of heatmaps are also proposed. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.