Examining the roles of visualizations in people's understanding of uncertain storm surge forecasts, interpretation of risk, and decision-making

Through designing storm surge risk communication prototypes and testing these visualizations in focus groups with residents of coastal communities in Georgia and South Carolina, this study investigates how different aspects of geospatial visualization influence individuals' understanding and relatability of storm surge information and how different elements of geospatial risk visualization influence people's intent to take protective actions.

The focus group discussions revealed common themes and unique perspectives in the interpretation of hurricane storm surge flooding forecasts and illustrated the complexity of communicating risk and uncertainty to diverse populations. This study found a sequential pattern of visual information processing, beginning with understanding the content and its perceived accuracy and uncertainty, followed by personalizing the information and deciding on protective action.