Instructional Comics for Self‐Paced Learning of Data Visualization Tools and Concepts

Abstract In this paper, we introduce instructional comics to explain concepts and routines in data visualization tools. As tools for visual data exploration proliferate, there is a growing need for tailored training and onboarding demonstrating interfaces, concepts, and interactions. Building on recent research in visualization education, we detail our iterative process of designing instructional comics for four different types of instructional content. Through a mixed‐method eye‐tracking study involving 20 participants, we analyze how people engage with these comics when using a new visualization tool, and validate our design choices. We interpret observed behaviors as unique affordances of instructional comics, supporting their use during tasks and complementing traditional instructional methods like video tutorials and workshops, and formulate six guidelines to inform the design of future instructional comics for visualization.