MyBrush: Brushing and Linking with Personal Agency

We extend the popular brushing and linking technique by incorporating personal agency in the interaction. We map existing research related to brushing and linking into a design space that deconstructs the interaction technique into three components: source (what is being brushed), link (the expression of relationship between source and target), and target (what is revealed as related to the source). Using this design space, we created MyBrush, a unified interface that offers personal agency over brushing and linking by giving people the flexibility to configure the source, link, and target of multiple brushes. The results of three focus groups demonstrate that people with different backgrounds leveraged personal agency in different ways, including performing complex tasks and showing links explicitly. We reflect on these results, paving the way for future research on the role of personal agency in information visualization

MyBrush: Brushing and Linking with Personal Agency

We extend the popular brushing and linking technique by incorporating personal agency in the interaction. We map existing research related to brushing and linking into a design space that deconstructs the interaction technique into three components: source (what is being brushed), link (the expression of relationship between source and target), and target (what is revealed as related to the source). Using this design space, we created MyBrush, a unified interface that offers personal agency over brushing and linking by giving people the flexibility to configure the source, link, and target of multiple brushes. The results of three focus groups demonstrate that people with different backgrounds leveraged personal agency in different ways, including performing complex tasks and showing links explicitly. We reflect on these results, paving the way for future research on the role of personal agency in information visualization

Visualisation techniques for users and designers of layout algorithms

Visualisation systems consisting of a set of components through which data and interaction commands flow have been explored by a number of researchers. Such hybrid and multistage algorithms can be used to reduce overall computation time, and to provide views of the data that show intermediate results and the outputs of complementary algorithms. In this paper we present work on expanding the range and variety of such components, with two new techniques for analysing and controlling the performance of visualisation processes. While the techniques presented are quite different, they are unified within HIVE: a visualisation system based upon a data-flow model and visual programming. Embodied within this system is a framework for weaving together our visualisation components to better afford insight into data and also deepen understanding of the process of the data's visualisation. We describe the new components and offer short case studies of their application. We demonstrate that both analysts and visualisation designers can benefit from a rich set of components and integrated tools for profiling performance

The Effects of Task, Task Mapping, and Layout Space on User Performance in Information-Rich Virtual Environments

How should abstract information be displayed in Information-Rich Virtual Environments (IRVEs)? There are a variety of techniques available, and it is important to determine which techniques help foster a user’s understanding both within and between abstract and spatial information types. Our evaluation compared two such techniques: Object Space and Display Space. Users strongly prefer Display Space over Object Space, and those who use Display Space may perform better. Display Space was faster and more accurate than Object Space for tasks comparing abstract information. Object Space was more accurate for comparisons of spatial information. These results suggest that for abstract criteria, visibility is a more important requirement than perceptual coupling by depth and association cues. They also support the value of perceptual coupling for tasks with spatial criteria

Visualização de informação

O relatório está dividido em duas partes. Na primeira parte, é abordado o problema da visualização exactamente no que diz respeito à subtil correlação existente entre as técnicas (e respectivas metáforas), o utilizador e os dados. Na segunda parte, são analisadas algumas aplicações, projectos, ferramentas e sistemas de Visualização de Informação. Para categorizalos, serão considerados sete tipos de dados básicos subjacentes a eles: unidimensional, bidimensional, tridimensional, multi-dimensional, temporal, hierárquico, rede e workspace.O tema deste relatório é a visualização da informação. Esta é uma área actualmente muito activa e vital no ensino, na pesquisa e no desenvolvimento tecnológico. A ideia básica é utilizar imagens geradas pelo computador como meio para se obter uma maior compreensão e apreensão da informação que está presente nos dados (geometria) e suas relações (topologia). É um conceito simples, porém poderoso que tem criado imenso impacto em diversas áreas da engenharia e ciência.The theme of this report is information visualization. Nowadays, this is a very active and vital area of research, teaching and development. The basic idea of using computer generated pictures to gain information and understanding from data and relationships is the key concept behind it. This is an extremely simple, but very important concept which is having a powerful impact on methodology of engineering and science. This report is consisted of two parts. The first one, is an overview of the subtle correlation between the visual techniques, the user perception and the data. In the second part, several computer applications, tools, projects and information visualization systems are analyzed. In order to categorize them, seven basic types of data are considered: onedimensional, two- dimensional, three-dimensional, multidimensional, temporal, hierarchic, network and workspace

Snap2Diverse: Coordinating Information Visualizations and Virtual Environments

The field of Information Visualization is concerned with improving with how users perceive, understand, and interact with visual representations of data sets. Immersive Virtual Environments (VEs) excel at providing researchers and designers a greater comprehension of the spatial features and relations of their data, models, and scenes. This project addresses the intersection of these two fields where information is visualized in a virtual environment. Specifically we are interested in visualizing abstract information in relation to spatial information in the context of a virtual environment. We describe a set of design issues for this type of integrated visualization and demonstrate a coordinated, multiple-views system supporting 2D and 3D visualization tasks such as overview, navigation, details-on-demand, and brushing-and-linking selection. Software architecture issues are discussed with details of our implementation applied to the domain of chemical information and visualization. Lastly, we subject our system to an informal usability evaluation and identify usability issues with interaction and navigation that may guide future work in these situations

A visual workspace for constructing hybrid MDS algorithms and coordinating multiple views

Data can be distinguished according to volume, variable types and distribution, and each of these characteristics imposes constraints upon the choice of applicable algorithms for their visualisation. This has led to an abundance of often disparate algorithmic techniques. Previous work has shown that a hybrid algorithmic approach can be successful in addressing the impact of data volume on the feasibility of multidimensional scaling (MDS). This paper presents a system and framework in which a user can easily explore algorithms as well as their hybrid conjunctions and the data flowing through them. Visual programming and a novel algorithmic architecture let the user semi-automatically define data flows and the co-ordination of multiple views of algorithmic and visualisation components. We propose that our approach has two main benefits: significant improvements in run times of MDS algorithms can be achieved, and intermediate views of the data and the visualisation program structure can provide greater insight and control over the visualisation process

Interactive Visualization Lenses:: Natural Magic Lens Interaction for Graph Visualization

Information visualization is an important research field concerned with making sense and inferring knowledge from data collections. Graph visualizations are specific techniques for data representation relevant in diverse application domains among them biology, software-engineering, and business finance. These data visualizations benefit from the display space provided by novel interactive large display environments. However, these environments also cause new challenges and result in new requirements regarding the need for interaction beyond the desktop and according redesign of analysis tools. This thesis focuses on interactive magic lenses, specialized locally applied tools that temporarily manipulate the visualization. These may include magnification of focus regions but also more graph-specific functions such as pulling in neighboring nodes or locally reducing edge clutter. Up to now, these lenses have mostly been used as single-user, single-purpose tools operated by mouse and keyboard. This dissertation presents the extension of magic lenses both in terms of function as well as interaction for large vertical displays. In particular, this thesis contributes several natural interaction designs with magic lenses for the exploration of graph data in node-link visualizations using diverse interaction modalities. This development incorporates flexible switches between lens functions, adjustment of individual lens properties and function parameters, as well as the combination of lenses. It proposes interaction techniques for fluent multi-touch manipulation of lenses, controlling lenses using mobile devices in front of large displays, and a novel concept of body-controlled magic lenses. Functional extensions in addition to these interaction techniques convert the lenses to user-configurable, personal territories with use of alternative interaction styles. To create the foundation for this extension, the dissertation incorporates a comprehensive design space of magic lenses, their function, parameters, and interactions. Additionally, it provides a discussion on increased embodiment in tool and controller design, contributing insights into user position and movement in front of large vertical displays as a result of empirical investigations and evaluations.Informationsvisualisierung ist ein wichtiges Forschungsfeld, das das Analysieren von Daten unterstützt. Graph-Visualisierungen sind dabei eine spezielle Variante der Datenrepräsentation, deren Nutzen in vielerlei Anwendungsfällen zum Einsatz kommt, u.a. in der Biologie, Softwareentwicklung und Finanzwirtschaft. Diese Datendarstellungen profitieren besonders von großen Displays in neuen Displayumgebungen. Jedoch bringen diese Umgebungen auch neue Herausforderungen mit sich und stellen Anforderungen an Nutzerschnittstellen jenseits der traditionellen Ansätze, die dadurch auch Anpassungen von Analysewerkzeugen erfordern. Diese Dissertation befasst sich mit interaktiven „Magischen Linsen“, spezielle lokal-angewandte Werkzeuge, die temporär die Visualisierung zur Analyse manipulieren. Dabei existieren zum Beispiel Vergrößerungslinsen, aber auch Graph-spezifische Manipulationen, wie das Anziehen von Nachbarknoten oder das Reduzieren von Kantenüberlappungen im lokalen Bereich. Bisher wurden diese Linsen vor allem als Werkzeug für einzelne Nutzer mit sehr spezialisiertem Effekt eingesetzt und per Maus und Tastatur bedient. Die vorliegende Doktorarbeit präsentiert die Erweiterung dieser magischen Linsen, sowohl in Bezug auf die Funktionalität als auch für die Interaktion an großen, vertikalen Displays. Insbesondere trägt diese Dissertation dazu bei, die Exploration von Graphen mit magischen Linsen durch natürliche Interaktion mit unterschiedlichen Modalitäten zu unterstützen. Dabei werden flexible Änderungen der Linsenfunktion, Anpassungen von individuellen Linseneigenschaften und Funktionsparametern, sowie die Kombination unterschiedlicher Linsen ermöglicht. Es werden Interaktionstechniken für die natürliche Manipulation der Linsen durch Multitouch-Interaktion, sowie das Kontrollieren von Linsen durch Mobilgeräte vor einer Displaywand vorgestellt. Außerdem wurde ein neuartiges Konzept körpergesteuerter magischer Linsen entwickelt. Funktionale Erweiterungen in Kombination mit diesen Interaktionskonzepten machen die Linse zu einem vom Nutzer einstellbaren, persönlichen Arbeitsbereich, der zudem alternative Interaktionsstile erlaubt. Als Grundlage für diese Erweiterungen stellt die Dissertation eine umfangreiche analytische Kategorisierung bisheriger Forschungsarbeiten zu magischen Linsen vor, in der Funktionen, Parameter und Interaktion mit Linsen eingeordnet werden. Zusätzlich macht die Arbeit Vor- und Nachteile körpernaher Interaktion für Werkzeuge bzw. ihre Steuerung zum Thema und diskutiert dabei Nutzerposition und -bewegung an großen Displaywänden belegt durch empirische Nutzerstudien