Using Data Visualisation to Represent Stages of the Innovation-Decision Process

abSTraCT This article describes the development of a visual aid to depict the manner in which Internet applications are being diffused through local sporting associations. Rogers' (2003) Innovation-Decision process categories are used as the theoretical basis of the study. The article discusses the Innovation-Decision process as an important component of Rogers' (2003) Innovation Diffusion approach. It then outlines the problem at hand, determining how best to represent the adoption and use of Internet applications by different sporting associations. To this end, different data visualisation approaches to representing the data are investigated, with the introduction of an aid the authors have labelled I-D Maps used to represent the adoption of these applications. This article demonstrates how, when compared with the other methods of visual presentations (such as line and bar graphs), the I-D Mapping method is a more suitable method of visual presentation when used with real world data.