Visual analysis for conceptual design of complex systems

Managing the development of complex organizational, technological, and socio-cultural systems calls for the construction of conceptual models that would define the properties and links between the elements of the systems and focus the attention of decision makers on the most significant aspects. The authors propose the visual analysis method as a tool for the conceptual design of complex systems. The method is based on the building of a series of visual images that are associated with the purpose sustainable development and holistic representation of the system. At the initial stage, the general structure of a complex system is analyzed and the required degree of detail of its elements is determined. The system is then broken down into elements and a specific visualization tool is selected for each of them so that the properties of the systems that need improving are highlighted. Ultimately, a conceptual design of the system is created that suggests managerial solutions that meet the interests of the stakeholders. The method has been tested in a number of projects that were implemented with the purpose of ensuring the strategic leadership of major manufacturing companies. © 2018 WIT Press.ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work was supported by Act 211 of the Government of the Russian Federation, contract No 02.A03.21.0006

Character-Oriented Design for Visual Data Storytelling

When telling a data story, an author has an intention they seek to convey to an audience. This intention can be of many forms such as to persuade, to educate, to inform, or even to entertain. In addition to expressing their intention, the story plot must balance being consumable and enjoyable while preserving scientific integrity. In data stories, numerous methods have been identified for constructing and presenting a plot. However, there is an opportunity to expand how we think and create the visual elements that present the story. Stories are brought to life by characters; often they are what make a story captivating, enjoyable, memorable, and facilitate following the plot until the end. Through the analysis of 160 existing data stories, we systematically investigate and identify distinguishable features of characters in data stories, and we illustrate how they feed into the broader concept of "character-oriented design". We identify the roles and visual representations data characters assume as well as the types of relationships these roles have with one another. We identify characteristics of antagonists as well as define conflict in data stories. We find the need for an identifiable central character that the audience latches on to in order to follow the narrative and identify their visual representations. We then illustrate "character-oriented design" by showing how to develop data characters with common data story plots. With this work, we present a framework for data characters derived from our analysis; we then offer our extension to the data storytelling process using character-oriented design. To access our supplemental materials please visit https://chaorientdesignds.github.io/Comment: Accepted to TVCG & VIS 2023 Pre-Print. Storytelling, Data Stories, Explanatory, Narrative visualization, Visual metapho

Anomaly detection using pattern-of-life visual metaphors

Complex dependencies exist across the technology estate, users and purposes of machines. This can make it difficult to efficiently detect attacks. Visualization to date is mainly used to communicate patterns of raw logs, or to visualize the output of detection systems. In this paper we explore a novel approach to presenting cybersecurity-related information to analysts. Specifically, we investigate the feasibility of using visualizations to make analysts become anomaly detectors using Pattern-of-Life Visual Metaphors. Unlike glyph metaphors, the visualizations themselves (rather than any single visual variable on screen) transform complex systems into simpler ones using different mapping strategies. We postulate that such mapping strategies can yield new, meaningful ways to showing anomalies in a manner that can be easily identified by analysts. We present a classification system to describe machine and human activities on a host machine, a strategy to map machine dependencies and activities to a metaphor. We then present two examples, each with three attack scenarios, running data generated from attacks that affect confidentiality, integrity and availability of machines. Finally, we present three in-depth use-case studies to assess feasibility (i.e. can this general approach be used to detect anomalies in systems?), usability and detection abilities of our approach. Our findings suggest that our general approach is easy to use to detect anomalies in complex systems, but the type of metaphor has an impact on user's ability to detect anomalies. Similar to other anomaly-detection techniques, false positives do exist in our general approach as well. Future work will need to investigate optimal mapping strategies, other metaphors, and examine how our approach compares to and can complement existing techniques

Infográficos versus Materiais de Aprendizagem Tradicionais: uma Investigação Empírica

Infográfico é um tipo popular de visualização de informação que utiliza deapelo visual para tornar a transmissão de informação rápida e efetiva. No entanto, ainda existem poucos trabalhos empíricos que investiguem sua interferência no processo de aprendizagem e interação com as características estilos de aprendizagem e satisfação. Nesse contexto, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia dos infográficos em comparação com os materiais de aprendizagem tradicionais (gráfico e texto). Para isso, foi executado um experimento com 54 alunos de graduação. Os alunos foram distribuídos entre os três tipos de materiais e avaliados em relação ao aprendizado, retenção de conhecimento e satisfação pessoal. Os resultados mostraram que os infográficos foram tão bons para a aprendizagem e retenção de conhecimento quanto os materiais tradicionais

Monologue: an investigation of how visualization could be used to help us record and reflect emotion

China's unique social development of rapid urbanization, high population density, and the emergence of new culture have put heightened demands on my generation (Millennials) and increased the need to care for our mental health. As my generation became satisfied with their material life, our demand for spiritual healing surfaced and increased. But traditional cultural ideology, stigma surrounding mental health issues, and the lack of psychological education and consult resources make Chinese people less likely to seek psychiatric healthcare. Social Anxiety Disorder is one of the neglected but ubiquitous emotional disturbances among the young generation in China. This study addresses the cultural and social context of Social Anxiety as well as the needs of individuals who suffer from Social Anxiety for a healthy way of emotion expression. This thesis studies an interdisciplinary approach of design through borrowing concepts from professional psychotherapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness Meditation, and Art Therapy to explore the possibility of self-emotion management for socially anxious individuals, and design a language which records and translates emotion data visually and can be used systematically. Using research methods such as Heuristic Inquiry, Cultural Probes, and Information Visualization, I have developed an interactive emotion tracking tool, which provides users the opportunity to record and reflect their emotional experiences in order to gain self-awareness, and achieve emotional healing and regulation.Emotion visualizationDesign for well-beingSocial anxiety disorderEmotional self-awarenessInformation desig

Desenhar a informação para uma aprendizagem mais completa

Mestrado em DesignAs últimas décadas do século XXI assistiram a um crescimento exponencial da informação produzida e consequentemente armazenada. Com uma era cada vez mais digital este tipo de dados tende a aumentar, levando a constantes mudanças e adaptações na forma como processamos o “bombardeamento” de informação com que nos deparamos diariamente. Os mecanismos visuais da transmissão de informação surgem como uma tentativa de resumirem a informação e simultaneamente atraírem a atenção para uma leitura breve, mesmo que superficial, desta realidade tão “ruidosa”. Com a propagação dos dados surge a “necessidade” e a oportunidade para o Design: o de desenhar mecanismos de representação para uma compreensão mais ampla da complexidade inerente à informação disponível, infografias construídas por forma a permitirem leituras mais imediatas, eficazes e simultaneamente elegantes. Historicamente ligada às ciências económicas e sociais, a representação visual da informação é, neste estudo, abordada no contexto da educação, nomeadamente ao nível do 2º ciclo do ensino básico (5º e 6º anos). Deste modo, observamos de que forma o Design, através da implementação de infografias enquanto recurso didáctico, pode contribuir para a agilização dos processos de compreensão e retenção de informação extensa e/ou complexa. Com este estudo, pretendemos compreender e demonstrar o modo como as representações visuais de informação contribuem para a aprendizagem, levando os intérpretes, neste caso, crianças do 2º ciclo, a uma maior retenção e compreensão de informação complexa ou extensa e simultaneamente formar a consciência visual e estética inerentes ao design e a uma cultura mais ampla. Conhecimento; Design de Informação; Educação; Literacia; Infografia; Metáfora; Representação Visual. palavras-chave resumoThe last decades of the XXI century have watched an exponential growth of the amount of information produced and stored. With the current digital era, these numbers tend to increase, and we are forced to constantly change the way we process all the information we receive daily. We tend to create visual mechanisms that help to resume and read all the information we have to deal with. With the spread of information available comes the necessity and the opportunity for a new area of Design: drawing mechanisms of representation for a larger comprehension of complex information; infographics made in order to facilitate an easier and faster reading. Historically connected with social and social economic sciences, in this paper, the visual representation of information is studied at an educational context, more specifically with elementary school kids (5th and 6th years on the Portuguese school system). We study in which way Design, through infographics, can help school children to better obtain and retain extensive and/ or complex information. With this study we pretend to understand and demonstrate the way visual representation of information can help with the process of learning school subjects, as well as helping children form visual awareness of aesthetics inherent to the design proces

Animaatio tiedonlähteenä - infografiikan kognitiivissemanttista tarkastelua

Tutkielman tavoitteena on selvittää, mitä keinoja animoitu infografiikka käyttää tietokoneviruksen kuvaamiseen. Tutkimuskysymystä selvitetään analysoimalla 5 internetistä poimittua infografiikaksi luokiteltavissa olevaa animaatiota. Tutkimuskysymyksessä mainittu tietokonevirus ei sinällään ole merkityksellinen, vaan tavoitteena on kartuttaa ymmärrystä infografiikaksi luokiteltavista animaatioista. Aineisto analysoidaan semioottisen analyysin avulla ja havaintoja pohditaan kognitiivisen semantiikan viitekehyksessä. Tällöin voidaan havainnoida, kuinka ihmismieli vastaanottaa teosten välittämää informaatiota. Tutkimuksen perusteella aineisto kuvasi tietokonevirusta visualisoimalla abstraktin, hämärtämällä katsojan ja teoksen maailmoiden välistä rajaa sekä herättämällä tunteita. Abstraktin visualisoiminen tapahtui aineistossa pääasiassa metaforien avulla ja vaikuttaa siltä, että juuri visuaaliset metaforat ovat monin tavoin tärkeitä käytettäessä infografiikkaa tietokoneviruksen kaltaisista abstrakteista käsitteistä kertomiseen. Katsojan ja teoksen maailmoiden sekoittaminen vaikuttaa puolestaan olevan kytköksissä siihen, että katsoja ymmärtää teokset infografiikaksi ja niiden sisältämän informaation osaksi omaa todellisuuttaan. Teosten tunteita herättävä vaikutus kiinnittää huomion katsomistilanteen kokonaisvaltaisiin vaikutuksiin katsojassa. Teosten herättämät tunteet voivat olla peräisin niiden kuvaamista kohteista mutta niihin vaikuttavat myös tekijän tekemät valinnat. Lisäksi se, että esimerkiksi metaforat helpottavat kuvatun kohteen ymmärtämistä, voivat teokset herättää katsojassa positiivisia metakognitiivisia tunteita, joiden myötä katsoja todennäköisemmin hyväksyy teosten esittämiä väittämiä. Tunteiden herättämisen myötä aineiston teosten kaltaisille teoksille sopivammalta luokittelulta vaikuttaa infotainment kuin infografiikka, koska se korostaa teosten viihteellisyyttä ja kokemuksellisuutta, joihin tunteiden herättäminenkin liittyy

Small-world social network visualisations

We live in a data driven age. Now, there is more data available than at any point in time before. However, the more data is made accessible, the more difficult it is to analyze it. Information visualisation is the art of representing data visually to help to deliver understanding of it. This thesis studies visualisations of social network graphs. Its main objective is to research possible approaches to represent the users' social network on a mobile phone screen and allow them to traverse its graph. The design aims to support users with exploration of their social network and to enable them to discover unexpected information about its structure. The work on the thesis consisted of a research and a design phase. Research was composed of a questionnaire about possible purposes of utilizing an access to a social network visualisation and participatory design sessions where participants took an active part in activities of body storming, card sorting and storyboarding. Based on the gathered results, three visualisation approaches were proposed. The first one is based on a map view and focuses on showing the physical location of the users. In the second approach user traverses the graph by travelling from one point of view of the selected node to another. The last approach shows nodes grouped into six circles based on the length of a path needed to reach them. The final outcome of a thesis demonstrates a possible answer to the addressed research questions and presents several appropriate ways of graphical representation for a social network graph that provides a captivating user experience and allows for exploration and discovery