Informational Visualization

Computers are good search tool, but the traditional user interface prevents users beginners: 

- Command complex. 

- Boolean operators. 

- The concept is difficult. 

    * Model object-action interface support design exploration tool information: 

          - Separating the concept of duty of the interface concept. 

          - Separating the issue of high level interface to low level. 

    * To display looks attractive for users it is very important visual information as part of the  end of the Evaluation of User Interface made Multimedia document search 

    * Photo search 

          - Query by Image Content: search by profile. 

         - Collection of more limited success. 

    * Map search 

         - Latitude and longitude coordinates. 

         - City, flight schedules, weather. 

    * Design or diagrams search 

         - Search a design element. 

    * Sound search 

          - Identify user humming. 

          - Edit notes on the stave. 

          - Search for the word in conversation. 

    * Video search 

        - Looking for a particular frame. 

        - Zooming and panning. 

        - Can be supported with text database. 

    *  Animation search 

          - Find the type of animation. 

         - Search for a transition in the presentation.

Information Visualization 

    * Visualization is (McCormick et al. 1987): 

          o Method of use of computers to transform into geometric symbols. 

          - Allows researchers observed and computational simulations. 

          - Provide a way to see the invisible. 

          - Enriching the process of scientific discovery and develop a deeper understanding and          unexpected. 

         - In many areas has been revolutionizing the way scientists study science. 

    * Proverb says "A picture is worth a thousand words." 

    * For some tasks, a visual presentation - such as maps or pictures - dramatically easier to use or understand than textual descriptions or spoken reports. 

    * Mantra of visual information search: 

         - Overview first, 

         - Zoom and filter, 

         Next, details on demand. 

Information Visualization (Cont.) 

    * Data types based on taxonomic tasks: 

          o Type of data 

                + 1-D: Linear data 

                      # Linear data such as text documents, program source code, a sequential list of names. 

                      # Miss.: Title Bars, Document Lens, See Soft, Information Mural. 

                + 2-D: Map data 

                      # The data fields or map includes geographic maps, plans, newspaper layout. 

                      # Miss.: GIS, spatial Display document collection. 

                + 3-D: World 

                      # Real-world objects such as molecules, the human body, buildings. 

                      # The user must overcome the understanding of the position and orientation. 

                      # Miss.: Web Book, VRML CAD, the Visible Human Explorer. 

Visualization of Information (Cont.) 

                + Temporal data 

                      # Time line. 

                      # There was a time early and late, may overlap. 

                      # Additional task: to events before, after, and at certain periods. 

                      # Miss.: Perspective Wall, Microsoft Project, Macromedia Flash, Lifeline. 

                + Multi-dimensional data 

                      # Most relational databases and statistics. 

                      # Miss .: Data Splash, Star field. 

                + Tree data 

                      # Collection of items with each item linked to the parent. 

                      # Miss.: Windows Explorer, Tree maps 

                + Network data 

                      # The data connected with any number of other items. 

                      # Miss.: Net Map, Web Map, See Net, Butterfly, other WWW Visualization.

Information Visualization (Cont.) 

Title Bars 

Timeline in Macromedia Flash MX 

Visualization of Information (Cont.) 

Data Splash of the University of California at Berkeley, shows the changes in ranking of the Fortune 100 in 1994 (vertical) vs. 1995 (horizontal). Dot size indicates the overall profit. 

Information Visualization (Cont.) 

Tree map of the HCI Lab, University of Maryland at College Park, shows the contents of the hard disk. 

Web Map from the University of Frankfurt 

Type of link: 

    * Internal, tree 

    * Internal, non-tree 

    * External, tree 

    * External, non-tree 

Visualization of Information (Cont.) 

          o Duties 

                + Overview 

                      # Obtain a summary of the entire collection. 

                + Zoom 

                      # Looking more closely the items that are interesting. 

                + Filter 

                      # Filter out items that are not attractive. 

                + Details-on-demand 

                      # Select an item or group and retrieve its details. 

                + Relate 

                      # Looking at the relationship inter item. 

                + History 

                      # Allows undo, replays, progressive improvement. 

                + Extract 

                      # Extraction which sub collections and query parameters.

Posted in: Computers