The problem with fill patterns

The paper presents results of research on the use of fill patterns in graphs and charts by both paper and pencil designers and computer designers. In the study, technically trained university students responded to a prompt which told them to design a small set of graphs and charts for their manager. Subjects were interviewed, videotaped and their graphs and charts were reviewed by evaluators. Results showed that paper and pencil designers made better decisions about the use of fill patterns than computer designers and that computer users´ decisions were greatly influenced by the computer program´s automatic insertion of fill patterns