Visualization of Real-World Data: Supporting Insurance Brokers in the Process of Information Visualization

Abstract

This study considers the development and use of RoutePlanner, which is a model for the visualization process to transform raw data in a data warehouse into required insight, specifically in the domain of insurance brokerage. Each broker has a portfolio of clients, whose data is stored in a database that is accessed by a financial needs analysis system. This system does not provide an adequate overview of the portfolio, thus brokers are unable to obtain the holistic perspective required for the identification of client needs and marketing opportunities. This paper introduces RoutePlanner, a model of the visualization process, used to plan the route from raw data to required insight. Empirical research investigated whether the use of RoutePlanner led to increased awareness of visualization on the part of brokers and whether it resulted in successful visualizations of brokerage data by users who are not technological experts