DevLan/vispubs huggingface dataset:
Vortex Analysis in Uncertain Vector Fields
Authors: Mathias Otto, Holger Theisel
Published at EuroVis, 2012

We present an approach to extract and visualize vortex structures in uncertain vector fields. For this, we generalize the concepts of the most common vortex detectors to uncertain vector fields, namely the λ2‐criterion, Q‐criterion, and the concept of parallel vectors at the example of the method by Sujudi and Haimes. All these methods base on the computation of derivatives of the uncertain vector field which are uncertain fields as well. Since they generally cannot be computed in a closed form, we provide a Monte Carlo algorithm to compute the respective probability distributions. Based on this, uncertain versions of vortex regions and core structures are introduced. We present results of our approach on three real world data sets in order to give a proof of concept.
"I'd never get out of this !?$%# office": redesigning time management for the enterprise
Authors: Casey Dugan, Werner Geyer, Michael J. Muller, Abel N. Valente, Katherine James, Steve Levy, Li-Te Cheng, Elizabeth M. Daly, Beth Brownholtz
Published at CHI, 2012

In this paper, we propose to improve time management in the enterprise by providing users interactive visualizations of how they are spending their time. Through an interview study (n=21) in a multi-national corporation, we were able to determine the data available for visualizations and the value of a number of general visualizations of employees' calendar data. We develop implications for design in improving personal time management.
A spatiotemporal visualization approach for the analysis of gameplay data
Authors: Günter Wallner, Simone Kriglstein
Published at CHI, 2012

Contemporary video games are highly complex systems with many interacting variables. To make sure that a game provides a satisfying experience, a meaningful analysis of gameplay data is crucial, particularly because the quality of a game directly relates to the experience a user gains from playing it. Automatic instrumentation techniques are increasingly used to record data during playtests. However, the evaluation of the data requires strong analytical skills and experience. The visualization of such gameplay data is essentially an information visualization problem, where a large number of variables have to be displayed in a comprehensible way in order to be able to make global judgments. This paper presents a visualization tool to assist the analytical process. It visualizes the game space as a set of nodes which players visit over the course of a game and is also suitable to observe time-dependent information, such as player distribution. Our tool is not tailored to a specific type of genre. To show the flexibility of our approach we use two different kinds of games as case studies.
Analysis within and between graphs: observed user strategies in immunobiology visualization
Authors: Caroline Ziemkiewicz, Steven R. Gomez, David H. Laidlaw
Published at CHI, 2012

We present an analysis of two user strategies in interactive data analysis, based on an observational study of four researchers in the immunology domain. Screen captures, video records, interviews, and verbal protocols are used to analyze common procedures in this type of visual data analysis, as well as how these procedures differ among these users. Our findings present a case where skilled users can approach a similar problem with diverging analysis strategies. In the group we observed, strategies fell within two broad categories: within-graph analysis, in which a user generates a few graph layouts and interacts heavily within them, and between-graph analysis, in which a user generates a series of graphs and switches between them in sequence. Differences in strategies lead to distinct interaction patterns, and are likely to be best supported by different interface designs. We characterize these observed strategies and discuss their implications for scientific visualization design and evaluation.
Annotating BI visualization dashboards: needs & challenges
Authors: Micheline Elias, Anastasia Bezerianos
Published at CHI, 2012

Annotations have been identified as an important aid in analysis record-keeping and recently data discovery. In this paper we discuss the use of annotations on visualization dashboards, with a special focus on business intelligence (BI) analysis. In-depth interviews with experts lead to new annotation needs for multi-chart visualization systems, on which we based the design of a dashboard prototype that supports data and context aware annotations. We focus particularly on novel annotation aspects, such as multi-target annotations, annotation transparency across charts and data dimension levels, as well as annotation properties such as lifetime and validity. Moreover, our prototype is built on a data layer shared among different data-sources and BI applications, allowing cross application annotations. We discuss challenges in supporting context aware annotations in dashboards and other visualizations, such as dealing with changing annotated data, and provide design solutions. Finally we report reactions and recommendations from a different set of expert users.
Comparing averages in time series data
Authors: Michael Correll, Danielle Albers, Steven Franconeri, Michael Gleicher
Published at CHI, 2012

Visualizations often seek to aid viewers in assessing the big picture in the data, that is, to make judgments about aggregate properties of the data. In this paper, we present an empirical study of a representative aggregate judgment task: finding regions of maximum average in a series. We show how a theory of perceptual averaging suggests a visual design other than the typically-used line graph. We describe an experiment that assesses participants' ability to estimate averages and make judgments based on these averages. The experiment confirms that this color encoding significantly outperforms the standard practice. The experiment also provides evidence for a perceptual averaging theory.
Delta: a tool for representing and comparing workflows
Authors: Nicholas Kong, Tovi Grossman, Björn Hartmann, Maneesh Agrawala, George W. Fitzmaurice
Published at CHI, 2012

Tutorials and sample workflows for complicated, feature-rich software packages are widely available online. As a result users must differentiate between workflows to choose the most suitable one for their task. We present Delta, an interactive workflow visualization and comparison tool that helps users identify the tradeoffs between workflows. We conducted an initial study to identify the set of attributes users attend to when comparing workflows, finding that they consider result quality, their knowledge of commands, and the efficiency of the workflow. We then designed Delta to surface these attributes at three granularities: a high-level, clustered view; an intermediate-level list view that contains workflow summaries; and a low-level detail view that allows users to compare two individual workflows. Finally, we conducted an evaluation of Delta on a small corpus of 30 workflows and found that the intermediate list view provided the best information density. We conclude with thoughts on how such a workflow comparison system could be scaled up to larger corpora in the future.
Digital pen and paper practices in observational research
Authors: Nadir Weibel, Adam Fouse, Colleen Emmenegger, Whitney Friedman, Edwin L. Hutchins, James D. Hollan
Published at CHI, 2012

Researchers from many disciplines are taking advantage of increasingly inexpensive digital video to capture extensive records of human activity in real-world settings. The ability to record and share such data has created a critical moment in the practice and scope of behavioral research. While recent work is beginning to develop techniques for visualizing and interacting with integrated multimodal information collected during field research, navigating and analyzing these large datasets remains challenging and tools are especially needed to support the early stages of data exploration. In this paper we describe digital pen and paper practices in observational research and their integration with ChronoViz, a tool for annotating, visualizing, and analyzing multimodal data. The goal is to better support researchers both in the field, while collecting data, and later in the lab, during analysis. We document the co-evolution of notetaking practices and system features as 28 participants used the tool during an 18-month deployment.
EEG analysis of implicit human visual perception
Authors: Maryam Mustafa, Lea Lindemann, Marcus A. Magnor
Published at CHI, 2012

Image Based Rendering (IBR) allows interactive scene exploration from images alone. However, despite considerable development in the area, one of the main obstacles to better quality and more realistic visualizations is the occurrence of visually disagreeable artifacts. In this paper we present a methodology to map out the perception of IBR-typical artifacts. This work presents an alternative to traditional image and video quality evaluation methods by using an EEG device to determine the implicit visual processes in the human brain. Our work demonstrates the distinct differences in the perception of different types of visual artifacts and the implications of these differences.
Gaze-augmented think-aloud as an aid to learning
Authors: Sarah A. Vitak, John E. Ingram, Andrew T. Duchowski, Steven Ellis, Anand K. Gramopadhye
Published at CHI, 2012

The use of recorded eye movements, or scanpaths, has been demonstrated as an effective visualization for feed-forward visual search training, instruction, and stimulated retrospective think-aloud usability testing. In this paper we show that creation of a scripted or recorded video of an expert's think-aloud session augmented by an animation of their scanpaths can result in an effective aid for learners of visual search. Because the creation of such a video is relatively easy, the benefits-to-cost ratio may potentially be substantial, especially in settings where learned visual scanning strategies are indicators of expertise. We suggest that two such examples are examinations of Chest X-Rays and histological slides. Results are presented where straightforward construction of an instruction video provides measurable benefit to novice as well as experienced learners in the latter context.
GraphTrail: analyzing large multivariate, heterogeneous networks while supporting exploration history
Authors: Cody Dunne, Nathalie Henry Riche, Bongshin Lee, Ronald A. Metoyer, George G. Robertson
Published at CHI, 2012

Exploring large network datasets, such as scientific collaboration networks, is challenging because they often contain a large number of nodes and edges in several types and with multiple attributes. Analyses of such networks are often long and complex, and may require several sessions by multiple users. Therefore, it is often difficult for users to recall their own exploration history or share it with others. We introduce GraphTrail, an interactive visualization for analyzing networks through exploration of node and edge aggregates that captures users' interactions and integrates this history directly in the exploration workspace. To facilitate large network analysis, GraphTrail integrates aggregation with familiar charts, drag-and-drop interaction on a canvas, and a novel pivoting mechanism for transitioning between aggregates. Through a three-month field study with a team of archeologists and a qualitative lab study with ten users, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our design and the benefits of integrated exploration history, including analysis comprehension, insight discovery, and exploration recall.
Interactive visualization for low literacy users: from lessons learnt to design
Authors: Neesha Kodagoda, B. L. William Wong, Chris Rooney, Nawaz Khan
Published at CHI, 2012

This paper aims to address the problems low literacy (LL) users face when searching for information online. The first part of this paper summarizes the problems that LL user's face, and establishes a set of design principles for interfaces suitable for LL users. This is followed by a description of how these design principles are mapped to a novel interface for interactive data retrieval. The interface was realized into a working system and evaluated against a traditional web interface for both high literacy (HL) and LL users. The suitability of the designs was analyzed using performance data, subjective feedback and an observational analysis. The findings from the study suggest that LL users perform better and prefer the proposed designs over a traditional web interface.
Interpretation and trust: designing model-driven visualizations for text analysis
Authors: Jason Chuang, Daniel Ramage, Christopher D. Manning, Jeffrey Heer
Published at CHI, 2012

Statistical topic models can help analysts discover patterns in large text corpora by identifying recurring sets of words and enabling exploration by topical concepts. However, understanding and validating the output of these models can itself be a challenging analysis task. In this paper, we offer two design considerations - interpretation and trust - for designing visualizations based on data-driven models. Interpretation refers to the facility with which an analyst makes inferences about the data through the lens of a model abstraction. Trust refers to the actual and perceived accuracy of an analyst's inferences. These considerations derive from our experiences developing the Stanford Dissertation Browser, a tool for exploring over 9,000 Ph.D. theses by topical similarity, and a subsequent review of existing literature. We contribute a novel similarity measure for text collections based on a notion of "word-borrowing" that arose from an iterative design process. Based on our experiences and a literature review, we distill a set of design recommendations and describe how they promote interpretable and trustworthy visual analysis tools.
JigsawMap: connecting the past to the future by mapping historical textual cadasters
Authors: Hyungmin Lee, Sooyun Lee, Namwook Kim, Jinwook Seo
Published at CHI, 2012

In this paper, we present an interactive visualization tool, JigsawMap, for visualizing and mapping historical textual cadasters. A cadaster is an official register that records land properties (e.g., location, ownership, value and size) for land valuation and taxation. Such mapping of old and new cadasters can help historians understand the social/economic background of changes in land uses or ownership. With JigsawMap, historians can continue mapping older or newer cadasters. In this way, JigsawMap can connect the past land survey results to today and to the future. We conducted usability studies and long term case studies to evaluate JigsawMap, and received positive responses. As well as summarizing the evaluation results, we also present design guidelines for participatory design projects with historians.
Legible, are you sure?: an experimentation-based typographical design in safety-critical context
Authors: Jean-Luc Vinot, Sylvie Athènes
Published at CHI, 2012

Designing Safety-critical interfaces entails proving the safety and operational usability of each component. Largely taken for granted in everyday interface design, the typographical component, through its legibility and aesthetics, weighs heavily on the ubiquitous reading task at the heart of most visualizations and interactions. In this paper, we present a research project whose goal is the creation of a new typeface to display textual information on future aircraft interfaces. After an initial task analysis leading to the definition of specific needs, requirements and design principles, the design constantly evolves from an iterative cycle of design and experimentation. We present three experiments (laboratory and cockpit) used mainly to validate initial choices and fine-tune font properties. Results confirm the importance of rigorously testing the typographical component as a part of text output evaluation in interactive systems.
LightGuide: projected visualizations for hand movement guidance
Authors: Rajinder Sodhi, Hrvoje Benko, Andrew D. Wilson
Published at CHI, 2012

LightGuide is a system that explores a new approach to gesture guidance where we project guidance hints directly on a user's body. These projected hints guide the user in completing the desired motion with their body part which is particularly useful for performing movements that require accuracy and proper technique, such as during exercise or physical therapy. Our proof-of-concept implementation consists of a single low-cost depth camera and projector and we present four novel interaction techniques that are focused on guiding a user's hand in mid-air. Our visualizations are designed to incorporate both feedback and feedforward cues to help guide users through a range of movements. We quantify the performance of LightGuide in a user study comparing each of our on-body visualizations to hand animation videos on a computer display in both time and accuracy. Exceeding our expectations, participants performed movements with an average error of 21.6mm, nearly 85% more accurately than when guided by video.
MirageTable: freehand interaction on a projected augmented reality tabletop
Authors: Hrvoje Benko, Ricardo Jota, Andrew Wilson
Published at CHI, 2012

Instrumented with a single depth camera, a stereoscopic projector, and a curved screen, MirageTable is an interactive system designed to merge real and virtual worlds into a single spatially registered experience on top of a table. Our depth camera tracks the user's eyes and performs a real-time capture of both the shape and the appearance of any object placed in front of the camera (including user's body and hands). This real-time capture enables perspective stereoscopic 3D visualizations to a single user that account for deformations caused by physical objects on the table. In addition, the user can interact with virtual objects through physically-realistic freehand actions without any gloves, trackers, or instruments. We illustrate these unique capabilities through three application examples: virtual 3D model creation, interactive gaming with real and virtual objects, and a 3D teleconferencing experience that not only presents a 3D view of a remote person, but also a seamless 3D shared task space. We also evaluated the user's perception of projected 3D objects in our system, which confirmed that the users can correctly perceive such objects even when they are projected over different background colors and geometries (e.g., gaps, drops).
Observational and experimental investigation of typing behaviour using virtual keyboards for mobile devices
Authors: Niels Henze, Enrico Rukzio, Susanne Boll
Published at CHI, 2012

With the rise of current smartphones, virtual keyboards for touchscreens became the dominant mobile text entry technique. We developed a typing game that records how users touch on the standard Android keyboard to investigate users' typing behaviour. 47,770,625 keystrokes from 72,945 installations have been collected by publishing the game. By visualizing the touch distribution we identified a systematic skew and derived a function that compensates this skew by shifting touch events. By updating the game we conduct an experiment that investigates the effect of shifting touch events, changing the keys' labels, and visualizing the touched position. Results based on 6,603,659 keystrokes and 13,013 installations show that visualizing the touched positions using a simple dot decreases the error rate of the Android keyboard by 18.3% but also decreases the speed by 5.2% with no positive effect on learnability. The Android keyboard outperforms the control condition but the constructed shift function further improves the performance by 2.2% and decreases the error rate by 9.1%. We argue that the shift function can improve existing keyboards at no costs.
Omnipedia: bridging the wikipedia language gap
Authors: Patti Bao, Brent J. Hecht, Samuel Carton, Mahmood Quaderi, Michael S. Horn, Darren Gergle
Published at CHI, 2012

We present Omnipedia, a system that allows Wikipedia readers to gain insight from up to 25 language editions of Wikipedia simultaneously. Omnipedia highlights the similarities and differences that exist among Wikipedia language editions, and makes salient information that is unique to each language as well as that which is shared more widely. We detail solutions to numerous front-end and algorithmic challenges inherent to providing users with a multilingual Wikipedia experience. These include visualizing content in a language-neutral way and aligning data in the face of diverse information organization strategies. We present a study of Omnipedia that characterizes how people interact with information using a multilingual lens. We found that users actively sought information exclusive to unfamiliar language editions and strategically compared how language editions defined concepts. Finally, we briefly discuss how Omnipedia generalizes to other domains facing language barriers.
Semantic interaction for visual text analytics
Authors: Alex Endert, Patrick Fiaux, Chris North 0001
Published at CHI, 2012

Visual analytics emphasizes sensemaking of large, complex datasets through interactively exploring visualizations generated by statistical models. For example, dimensionality reduction methods use various similarity metrics to visualize textual document collections in a spatial metaphor, where similarities between documents are approximately represented through their relative spatial distances to each other in a 2D layout. This metaphor is designed to mimic analysts' mental models of the document collection and support their analytic processes, such as clustering similar documents together. However, in current methods, users must interact with such visualizations using controls external to the visual metaphor, such as sliders, menus, or text fields, to directly control underlying model parameters that they do not understand and that do not relate to their analytic process occurring within the visual metaphor. In this paper, we present the opportunity for a new design space for visual analytic interaction, called semantic interaction, which seeks to enable analysts to spatially interact with such models directly within the visual metaphor using interactions that derive from their analytic process, such as searching, highlighting, annotating, and repositioning documents. Further, we demonstrate how semantic interactions can be implemented using machine learning techniques in a visual analytic tool, called ForceSPIRE, for interactive analysis of textual data within a spatial visualization. Analysts can express their expert domain knowledge about the documents by simply moving them, which guides the underlying model to improve the overall layout, taking the user's feedback into account.
Supporting improvisation work in inter-organizational crisis management
Authors: Benedikt Ley, Volkmar Pipek, Christian Reuter 0001, Torben Wiedenhoefer
Published at CHI, 2012

Improvisation is necessary when planned decision-making as the main managerial activity does not fit the conditions the practice provides. In these cases, information technology should not just automate planned and structured decisions, but support improvisational practice. In this contribution we present an empirical study about the improvisation work in scenarios of medium to large power outages in Germany. Our focus is on inter-organizational cooperation practices, thus we examined the cooperation of fire departments, police, public administration, electricity infrastructure operators and citizens. Our empirical material allows to describe reasons and conditions for improvisation. Our resulting recommendations address the support of aggregation and visualization of information, a necessary individualization of information compositions, options for collaborative situation assessment, requirements for informal and formal communication, and accessibility of information resources.