# DVQA: Understanding Data Visualizations via Question Answering

Source: [DVQA: Understanding Data Visualizations via Question Answering](<https://www.sota2.com/research/paper/68fa642f1e209131cea034d0>)

Collection index: [llms.txt](<https://www.sota2.com/research/llms.txt>)

Data updated: 2025-10-25T20:59:11.405Z

Authors: Kushal Kafle, Brian Price, Scott Cohen, Christopher Kanan

Published: 2018-01-24T19:47:04.000Z

## Abstract

Bar charts are an effective way to convey numeric information, but today's algorithms cannot parse them. Existing methods fail when faced with even minor variations in appearance. Here, we present DVQA, a dataset that tests many aspects of bar chart understanding in a question answering framework. Unlike visual question answering (VQA), DVQA requires processing words and answers that are unique to a particular bar chart. State-of-the-art VQA algorithms perform poorly on DVQA, and we propose two strong baselines that perform considerably better. Our work will enable algorithms to automatically extract numeric and semantic information from vast quantities of bar charts found in scientific publications, Internet articles, business reports, and many other areas.

## Recorded benchmark results

A research result applies to its stated dataset, split, metric and evaluation configuration. Compare like-for-like settings, preserve the metric's unit and direction, and distinguish paper-reported results from independent reproduction. The best result recorded here is not a claim of exhaustive, current global coverage.

- [Visual Question Answering on DVQA (test)](<https://www.sota2.com/research/sota/visual-question-answering-on-dvqa-test.md>): Visual Question Answering; DVQA (test); Accuracy: 45.77.

- [Chart Question Answering on DVQA Novel (test)](<https://www.sota2.com/research/sota/chart-question-answering-on-dvqa-novel-test.md>): Chart Question Answering; DVQA novel (test); Structure: 96.42.

- [Chart Question Answering on DVQA (test-familiar)](<https://www.sota2.com/research/sota/chart-question-answering-on-dvqa-test-familiar.md>): Chart Question Answering; DVQA (test-familiar); Structure: 96.47.

- [Chart Question Answering on DVQA](<https://www.sota2.com/research/sota/chart-question-answering-on-dvqa.md>): Chart Question Answering; DVQA; Accuracy: 56.48.

- [Visual Question Answering on DVQA novel (test)](<https://www.sota2.com/research/sota/visual-question-answering-on-dvqa-novel-test.md>): Visual Question Answering; DVQA novel (test); Accuracy (Oracle): not recorded.

## Original sources and implementation

[Original paper](<https://arxiv.org/abs/1801.08163>)

[PDF](<https://arxiv.org/pdf/1801.08163.pdf>)