Visualization
“the process of transforming information into a visual form, enabling users to observe the information.
The resulting visual display enables the scientist or engineer to perceive visually features which are hidden in the data but nevertheless are needed for data analysis and exploration.”
- by Vandoni 1989
Scientific visualization
-Use of computer-supported interactive visual representation of data to amplify cognition, and is base on real-world object
Representation of data with physical shape-
–the data items already have a 2D/3D structure
–not abstract data representation
–additional information needs to be represented
–data needs to be made accessible
e.g ultrasound visualization of baby => form a set of section photographs
inspiring piece:
video: First scientifically accurate visualization of 9/11 attack
Information visualization
“Visualization is a method of computing. It transforms the symbolic into the geometric, enabling researchers to observe their simulations and computations. Visualization offers a method for seeing the unseen. It enriches the process of scientific discovery and fosters profound and unexpected insights. In many fields it is already revolutionizing the way scientists do science.”
-by McCormick et al. 1987
definition: Use of computer-supported interactive visual representation of abstract data to amplify cognition
explore, discoveries, pattern, individual, group, relationship
Example of info visualization:
- Tube Map of London (1932, 1933) -> remove the geographic data by Harry Beck
- The Broad Street Pump outbreak by Dr. John Snow (1813-1858) -> simple dots in map of infected location
How:
Overview-Gain an overview of the entire collection
Zoom-Zoom in of items of interest
Filter-Filter out uninteresting items
Details-on-demand-Select an item or group and get details when needed
Relate-View relationships among items
History-Keep a history of actions to support undo, redo and progressive refinement
Extract-Allow extraction of sub-collections and the query parameters
Technique:
Glyphs, star plots, Parallel Coordinates, Parallax, Cone Trees (horizontal/vertical), Hyperbolic Browser, Radial Visualization, tree maps
Inspiring piece:
http://www.smartmoney.com/marketmap/ => real time visualization of stock market, get the immediate overview on the market sector, the max and min of increase/decrease by the size of the rectangle.
Further reading on this:
1. key journal: McCormick et al. 1987
2. Shneiderman 1996 -The Eyes Have It:A Task by Data Type Taxonomy for Information Visualizations, Proceedings of the 1996 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages
