From Keyword Search to Exploration: How Result Visualization Aids Discovery on the Web

A key to the Web's success is the power of search. The elegant way in which search results are returned is usually remarkably effective. However, for exploratory search in which users need to learn, discover, and understand novel or complex topics, there is substantial room for improvement. Human computer interaction researchers and web browser designers have developed novel strategies to improve Web search by enabling users to conveniently visualize, manipulate, and organize their Web search results. This monograph offers fresh ways to think about search-related cognitive processes and describes innovative design approaches to browsers and related tools. For instance, while key word search presents users with results for specific information (e.g., what is the capitol of Peru), other methods may let users see and explore the contexts of their requests for information (related or previous work, conflicting information), or the properties that associate groups of information assets (group legal decisions by lead attorney). We also consider the both traditional and novel ways in which these strategies have been evaluated. From our review of cognitive processes, browser design, and evaluations, we reflect on the future opportunities and new paradigms for exploring and interacting with Web search results

Generative Disco: Text-to-Video Generation for Music Visualization

Visuals are a core part of our experience of music, owing to the way they can amplify the emotions and messages conveyed through the music. However, creating music visualization is a complex, time-consuming, and resource-intensive process. We introduce Generative Disco, a generative AI system that helps generate music visualizations with large language models and text-to-image models. Users select intervals of music to visualize and then parameterize that visualization by defining start and end prompts. These prompts are warped between and generated according to the beat of the music for audioreactive video. We introduce design patterns for improving generated videos: "transitions", which express shifts in color, time, subject, or style, and "holds", which encourage visual emphasis and consistency. A study with professionals showed that the system was enjoyable, easy to explore, and highly expressive. We conclude on use cases of Generative Disco for professionals and how AI-generated content is changing the landscape of creative work

ID.8: Co-Creating Visual Stories with Generative AI

Storytelling is an integral part of human culture and significantly impacts cognitive and socio-emotional development and connection. Despite the importance of interactive visual storytelling, the process of creating such content requires specialized skills and is labor-intensive. This paper introduces ID.8, an open-source system designed for the co-creation of visual stories with generative AI. We focus on enabling an inclusive storytelling experience by simplifying the content creation process and allowing for customization. Our user evaluation confirms a generally positive user experience in domains such as enjoyment and exploration, while highlighting areas for improvement, particularly in immersiveness, alignment, and partnership between the user and the AI system. Overall, our findings indicate promising possibilities for empowering people to create visual stories with generative AI. This work contributes a novel content authoring system, ID.8, and insights into the challenges and potential of using generative AI for multimedia content creation

Comprendre et Concevoir les Animations dans le Contexte des Interfaces Graphiques

International audienceAnimations are increasingly used in interactive systems in order to enhance the usability and aesthetics of user interfaces. While animations are proven to be useful in many cases, we still find defective animations causing many problems, such as distracting users from their main task or making data exploration slower. The fact that such animations still exist proves that animations are not yet very well understood as a cognitive aid for understanding interfaces, and that we did not definitely decide what makes a well designed animation. This thesis aims at better understanding the different aspects of animations for user interfaces and exploring new methods and guidelines for designing them, with a main focus on the field of information visualization. As a first investigation, we elaborated a taxonomy of the roles of animations in the gra-phical interfaces. In the context of dynamic information visua-lizations, we are currently working on a model of animated transitions. We are also exploring certain aspects of the visual grouping for these transitions. Moreover, we are studying the impact of temporal structuring of animated transitions on the interpretation of data. Our future investigations will aim essentially at the design of a sketch-based tool for prototyping and authoring animated transitions of dynamic data.Les animations sont de plus en plus utilisées dans les systèmes interactifs dans un but d'améliorer l'utilisabilité et l'esthétique de l'interface utilisateur. Si les animations se révèlent très utiles dans de nombreux cas, on trouve également des anima-tions causant de multiples problèmes, tels que la distraction des utilisateurs de leur tâche principale ou encore le ralen-tissement de l'exploration des données. Le fait que de telles animations subsistent encore prouve que les animations ne sont pas encore bien assimilées comme une aide cognitive à la compréhension des interfaces, et que l'on n'a pas décisivement défini ce qui constitue une animation bien conçue. Le but de cette thèse est de mieux comprendre les différents aspects des animations pour les interfaces et d'explorer de nou-velles méthodes pour les concevoir, en focalisant une grande partie de nos travaux autour du domaine de la visualisation d'information. Comme première investigation, nous avons élaboré une taxonomie des rôles des animations dans les interfaces graphiques. Dans le contexte des visualisations dy-namiques d'information, nous travaillons actuellement sur un modèle des transitions animées. Nous explorons également certains aspects du groupement visuel pour ces transitions. En outre, nous étudions l'effet de la structuration temporelle des transitions animées sur l'interprétation des données. Nos futures investigations viseront essentiellement la conception d'un outil de prototypage et de création de transitions animées pour des données dynamiques basé sur le dessin

Research into literacy and technology in primary classrooms: an exploration of understandings generated by recent studies

Whilst much has been written about the implications for ‘literacy’ for practices surrounding digital technologies (Gee, 2000a; Luke and Carrington, 2002; Snyder, 1998), there has been surprisingly little research investigating new literacies in primary classrooms (Andrews, 2003; Labbo and Reinking, 2003: Lankshear and Knobel, 2003). This review examines the kinds of understandings that have been generated through studies of primary literacy and technology reported during the period 2000-2006. It uses Green’s distinction between ‘operational’, ‘cultural’ and ‘critical’ dimensions of primary literacy (Lankshear and Bigum, 1999; Snyder, 2001) to investigate the focus and methodology of 38 empirical studies. It explores ways in which research may be informed by assumptions and practices associated with print literacy, but also highlights the kinds of studies which are beginning to investigate the implications of digital texts for primary education. The paper concludes by arguing for further ethnographic and phenomenological studies of classroom literacy practices in order to explore the complex contexts which surround and are mediated by digital texts

Information Outlook, April 2000

Volume 4, Issue 4https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_io_2000/1003/thumbnail.jp