Abstract: Multiple coordinated visualizations enable users to rapidly explore complex information. However, users often need unforeseen combinations of coordinated visualizations that are appropriate for their data. Snap-Together Visualization enables data users to rapidly and dynamically mix and match visualizations and coordinations to construct custom exploration interfaces without programming. Snap's conceptual model is based on the relational database model. Users load relations into visualizations then coordinate them based on the relational joins between them. Users can create different types of coordinations such as: brushing, drill down, overview and detail view, and synchronized scrolling. Visualization developers can make their independent visualizations snap-able with a simple API.Evaluation of Snap revealed benefits, cognitive issues, and usability concerns. Data savvy users were very capable and thrilled to rapidly construct powerful coordinated visualizations. A snapped overview and detail-view coordination improved user performance by 30-80%, depending on task.

Abstract: We present a multi-scale layout algorithm for the aesthetic drawing of undirected graphs with straight-line edges. The algorithm is extremely fast, and is capable of drawing graphs of substantially larger size than any other algorithm we are awars of. For example, the algorithm achieves optimal drawings of 1000 vertex graphs in less than 3 seconds. The paper contains graphs with over 6000 nodes. The proposed algorithm embodies a new multi-scale scheme for drawing graphs, which can significantly improve the speed of essentially any force-directed method.Graphs have become an important part of recently proposed user interfaces, hence the relevance of this paper to work on interface issues.

Abstract: Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, or RSVP, is the electronic equivalent of riffling a book in order to assess its content. RSVP allows space to be traded for time and has tremendous potential to support electronic information browsing and search particularly on small displays. However, before this potential can be realised, it is necessary to investigate the parameters involved in the successful application of RSVP in the user interface. The rapid display of images or text is well within the capabilities of current desktop computers and even of current or near future mobile devices. The limiting factor in the application of RSVP, therefore, has to be the limited capability of the user's visual system. Users' reading comprehension with RSVP of text has been studied extensively. The transfer of information with RSVP of images, however, has received relatively little attention. This paper examines some of the problems with applying RSVP for image browsing and search.

Abstract: Individual characters and text are the main inputs in many computing devices. Currently there is a growing trend in developing small portable devices like mobile phones, personal digital assistants, GPS-navigators, and two-way pagers. Unfortunately these portable computing devices have different user interfaces and therefore the task of text input takes many forms. The user, who in the future is likely to have several of these devices, has to learn several text input methods. We argue that there is a need for a universal text input method. A method like this would work on a wide range of interface technologies and allow the user to transfer his or her writing skill without device-specific training. To show that device independent text input is possible, we present a candidate for a device independent text entry method that supports skill transfer between different devices. A limited longitudinal study was conducted to achieve a proof of concept evaluation of our Minimal Device Independent Text Input Method (MDITIM). We found MDITIM writing skill acquired with a touchpad to work almost equally well on mouse, trackball, joystick and keyboard without any additional training. Our test group reached on average 41% of their handwriting speed by the end of the tenth 30-minute training session.

Abstract: Zoomable User Interfaces (ZUIs) are difficult to use on large information spaces in part because they provide insufficient context. Even after a short period of navigation users no longer know where they are in the information space nor where to find the information they are looking for. We propose a temporary in-place context aid that helps users position themselves in ZUIs. This context layer is a transparent view of the context that is drawn over the users' focus of attention. A second temporary in-place aid is proposed that can be used to view already visited regions of the information space. This history layer is an overlapping transparent layer that adds a history mechanism to ZUIs. We complete these orientation aids with an additional window, a hierarchy tree, that shows users the structure of the information space and their current position within it. Context layers show users their position, history layers show them how they got there, and hierarchy trees show what information is available and where it is.ZUIs, especially those that include these new orientation aids, are difficult to use with standard interaction techniques. They provide a large number of commands which must be used frequently and on a changing image. The mouse and its buttons cannot provide a rapid access to all these commands without new interaction techniques. We propose a new type of menu, a control menu, that facilitates the use of ZUIs and which we feel can also be useful in other types of applications.

Abstract: Focus + context information visualizations have sought to amplify human cognition by increasing the amount of information immediately available to the user. We study how the focus + context distortion of the Hyperbolic Tree browser affects information foraging behavior in a task similar to the CHI '97 Browse Off. In comparison to a more conventional browser, Hyperbolic users searched more nodes, searched at a faster rate, and showed more learning. However, the performance of the Hyperbolic was found to be highly affected by “information scent”, proximal cues to the value of distal information. Strong information scent made hyperbolic search faster than with a conventional browser. Conversely, weak scent put the hyperbolic tree at a disadvantage. There appears to be two countervailing processes affecting visual attention in these displays: strong information scent expands the spotlight of attention whereas crowding of targets in the compressed region of the Hyperbolic narrows it. The results suggest design improvements.

Abstract: To support users in querying geographic databases we have developed a system that lets people sketch what they are looking for. It closes the gap between user and information system, because the translation of a user's question into a processable query statement is delegated to the information system so that a user can focus on the actual query rather than spending time with its formulation. This system paper highlights a set of interaction methods and sketch interpretation algorithms that are necessary for pen-based querying of geographic information systems. They are part of a comprehensive prototype implementation of Spatial-Query-by-Sketch, which provides feature-based and relation-based spatial similarity retrieval.

Abstract: Digital television user interfaces are composed of text, graphics and video. Usability issues that arise include information visualization, searching and navigation. This paper introduces two user interface prototypes for digital television. Both prototypes were tested with real users and the test results are discussed.

Abstract: In previous work, the first author argued for simple lightweight visualisations. These are surprisingly complex to produce due to the need for infrastructure to read files, etc. onCue, a desktop 'agent', aids the rapid production of such visualisations and their integration with desktop and Internet applications. Two examples are used dancing histograms for 2D tables and pieTrees for hierarchical numeric data. A major focus is the importance of architecture, both that of onCue itself and the underlying component infrastructure on which it is built — separation of concerns, mixed initiative computation and plug-and-play components lead to easily produced and easily used systems.

Abstract: The focus of the presented work is visualization of routes of objects that change their spatial location in time. The challenge is to facilitate investigation of important characteristics of the movement: positions of the objects at any selected moment, directions, speeds and their changes with the time, overall trajectories and those for any specified interval etc. We propose a dynamic map display controlled through a set of interactive devices called time controls to be used as a support to visual exploration of spatial movement.

Abstract: The visualisation of hierarchical information sets has been a staple of Information Visualisation since the field came into being in the early 1990's. However, at present, support for visualising the correlations between multiple, overlapping sets of hierarchical information has been lacking. This is despite the realisation that for certain tasks this information is as important as the information that forms the individual hierarchies. In response to this, we have produced two early visualisation prototypes, one based on a graph visualisation, and the other on a set-based metaphor, that endeavour to display such information in a readily perceived form to potential users. The science of botanical taxonomy is used as an example of a field where such a visualisation would be useful, and also as a resource for example information sets that the prototypes can act upon. Technical and perceptual issues involved in the design and implementation of both prototypes are discussed. Following this, informal user testing on both prototypes is described, which utilised user observation techniques to elicit qualitative feedback from the taxonomists. These findings are then used to emphasise the shortcomings and advantages of each prototype, and from these probable issues for future prototyping and development are drawn.

Abstract: Declarative models play an important role in most software design activities, by allowing designs to be constructed that selectively abstract over complex implementation details. In the user interface setting, Model-Based User Interface Development Environments (MB-UIDEs) provide a context within which declarative models can be constructed and related, as part of the interface design process. However, such declarative models are not usually directly executable, and may be difficult to relate to existing software components. It is therefore important that MB-UIDEs both fit in well with existing software architectures and standards, and provide an effective route from declarative interface specification to running user interfaces. This paper describes how user interface software is generated from declarative descriptions in the Teallach MB-UIDE. Distinctive features of Teallach include its open architecture, which connects directly to existing applications and widget sets, and the generation of executable interface applications in Java. This paper focuses on how Java programs, organized using the model-view-controller pattern (MVC), are generated from the task, domain and presentation models of Teallach.

Abstract: This paper describes hierarchical Flip Zooming, a focus+context visualization technique for hierarchical information sets. It allows for independent focus+context views at each node of the hierarchy and enables parallel exploration of different branches of the hierarchy. Visualization, navigation and interaction in the Flip Zooming technique is described as well as how the technique fits into existing models of information visualization. Examples of applications using the technique are given.

Abstract: Designing high quality visual interfaces for hypermedia applications is difficult; it involves organizing different kinds of interface objects (for example those triggering navigation), prevent lhe user from cognitive overhead, etc. Unfortunately, interface design methods do not capture design decisions or rationale, so it is hard to record and convey interface design expertise.In this paper, we introduce interface patterns for hypermedia applications as a concept for reusing interface designs. The structure of this paper is as follows: first, we introduce the context in which these patterns were discovered and we give a rationale for their use. Then we present some simple but effective patterns using a standard template. We finally discuss some further issues on the use of interface patterns in hypermedia applications.

Abstract: This paper proposes an efficient technique for eye gaze interface suitable for the general GUI environments such as Microsoft Windows. Our technique uses an eye and a hand together: the eye for moving cursors onto the GUI button (move operation), and the hand for pushing the GUI button (push operation). We also propose the following two techniques to assist the move operation: (1) Automatic adjustment and (2) Manual adjustment. In the automatic adjustment, the cursor automatically moves to the closest GUI button when we push a mouse button. In the manual adjustment, we can move the cursor roughly by an eye, then move it a little more by the mouse onto the GUI button. In the experiment to evaluate our method, GUI button selection by manual adjustment showed better performance than the selection by a mouse even in the situation that has many small GUI buttons placed very closely each other on the GUI.

Abstract: This paper describes the software architecture for our pen-based electronic whiteboard system, called Flatland. The design goal of Flatland is to support various activities on personal office whiteboards, while maintaining the outstanding ease of use and informal appearance of conventional whiteboards. The GUI framework of existing window systems is too complicated and heavy-weight to achieve this goal, and so we designed a new architecture that works as a kind of window system for pen-based applications. Our architecture is characterized by its use of freeform strokes as the basic primitive for both input and output, flexible screen space segmentation, pluggable applications that can operate on each segment, and built-in history management mechanisms. This architecture is carefully designed to achieve simple, unified coding and high extensibility, which was essential to the iterative prototyping of the Flatland interface. While the current implementation is optimized for large office whiteboards, this architecture is useful for the implementation of a range of various pen-based systems.

Abstract: In today's automotive industry there is an increasing demand for VR technology, because it provides the possibility to switch from cost and time insensitive physical mock up's (PMU) to digital mock up's (DMU). Unfortunately many current VR applications are either limited in the way people can interact with them, or provide a large set of functions, which are hard to use. In this paper we present the design of a VR user interface for applications in the area of digital design review. The basic requirements of such an UI are the ease of use, and the ability to work simultaneously with a group of people on one system. Furthermore we investigate the functional requirements for this kind of application, including navigation, manipulation, examination and documentation of flaws in the design of the models. Documentation is stored as HTML and could therefore be easily transmitted between different parties. The design of the user interface is based on the basic interaction tasks (BIT'S), introduced by Foley et. al., which allow to build complex functionality on top of only a few interaction metaphors. Finally we evaluate the concept on a prototype implementation, done in cooperation with BMW AG.

Abstract: This paper discusses the main issues for creating Interactive Virtual Environments with Virtual Humans emphasizing the following aspects: creation of Virtual Humans, gestures, interaction with objects, multimodal communication.

Abstract: We demonstrate a graphic visualisation of a travel itinerary, with special emphasis on time and time zones. A traditional itinerary is a text document, detailing locations, and arrival and departure times for travel and accommodation. It is usually written in diary form, showing the sequence of events to be followed on a trip. Many questions can be answered easily from such an itinerary. What time should the traveler check in at the airport? Which country are they visiting on a particular date? Other questions can be more difficult to answer. How long is the first flight? What time is it at home when the traveler reaches their hotel? The written form is also quite poor at providing a 'picture' of an entire trip. The reader cannot tell at a glance how many countries are being visited, or whether the stay in England is longer than the slay in France. The visualisation discussed here attempts to make answering such questions relatively simple. Usability studies are described which show the advantages of our visualisation.Negotiation between the traveler and a travel agent are implicit in the development of a travel itinerary. The visualisation has been developed as part of our “Collaborative Information Gathering” project, whose overall goal is to investigate ways of supporting information search and document creation. The travel system covers the search aspect by supporting collaborative World Wide Web browsing, and document creation by supporting multiple complementary views of the trip and allowing collaborative editing via any of these.

Abstract: In this paper we propose new visual interface technology to address multidimensional data exploration and browsing tasks. MultiNav, a prototype from GTE Laboratories, is based upon a multidimensional information model that affords new data exploration and semantically structured browsing interactions. The primary visual metaphor is based on sliding rods, each of which is associated with an information dimension from the underlying model. Users can interactively select value ranges along the rods in order to reveal hidden relationships as well as query and restrict the set through direct manipulation. A novel focus+context view is afforded in which detail about individual items is revealed within the context of the global multidimensional attribute space. We propose a novel interaction technique to change focus, which is based on dragging rods from side to side. We relate this work on multidimensional information visualization to other research in the area, including Parallel Coordinates, Dynamic Histograms, Dynamic Queries, and focus+context tables.*.

Abstract: We define virtual prototype as a functional, photo realistic, and three dimensional digital model of a future hand held electronics product. Besides visualisation, product concept designers need to know the physical attributes of the product, such as dimensions, weight and surface texture. WebShaman Digiloop system augments digital virtual prototypes with physical objects in order to support such tangibility. A data glove is used to manipulate the virtual prototype and a physical mock-up of a concept prototype adds the physical aspects of the product concept to the virtual prototype. The user of this system can examine the functionality and features of the product concept as well as feel the dimensions, weight and texture, and move the prototype freely in physical space.

Abstract: The identification and analysis of an enterprise's knowledge available in a documented form is a key element of knowledge management. Visual methods which allow easy access to a document collection's contents are an enabling technology. However, no single information retrieval technique is likely to adequately deal with such tasks independent of the specific situation. In this paper, we therefore present a visualization technique based on a modular approach that allows a variety of techniques from semantic document analysis to be used in the visualization of the structure of technical document collections.

Abstract: This paper proposes a technique for generating more comprehensible animations from discussions, which are often hard to follow, in USENET This technique consists of two steps In the first step, our prototype system generates a scenario from articles in a news thread using the quote relationship In the second step, it generates an animation based on the scenario, casting 3D avatars as the authors of the articles We also implemented a prototype system based on this technique and made several animations from articles posted to USENET

Abstract: This paper proposes a framework for easily integrating and controlling information visualization (infoVis) components within web pages to create powerful interactive “live” documents, or LiveDocs. The framework includes a set of infoVis components which can be placed and linked within a standard HTML document, initialized to focus on key analysis results, and directly manipulated by readers to explore and analyze data further. In addition, authors can script the manipulation of views at the user interaction level (e.g., to set view options, select items within a view, or animate a view). We illustrate our approach with a sample analysis of a real-life data set.

Abstract: In this paper we present MapViews, Magic Lounge, and Call-Kiosk, three different but related systems that address the integration of mobile communication terminals into multi-user applications. MapViews is a test-bed to investigate how a small group of geographically dispersed users can jointly solve localization and route planning tasks while being equipped with different communication terminals. Magic Lounge is a virtual meeting space that provides a number of communication support services and allows its users to connect via heterogeneous devices. Finally, we sketch Call-Kiosk a system that is currently being designed for setting up a commercial information service for mobile clients. All three systems emphasize the high demand for automated design approaches which are able to generate information presentations that are tailored to the available presentation capabilities of particular target devices.

Abstract: We present an algorithm for the aesthetic drawing of basic hierarchical blob structures, of the kind found in higraphs and statecharts and in other diagrams in which hierarchy is depicted as topological inclusion. Our work could also be useful in window system dynamics, and possibly also in things like newspaper layout, etc. Several criteria for aesthetics are formulated, and we discuss their motivation, our methods of implementation and the algorithm's performance.

Abstract: For data with large dimensionality, placing labels is critical for users' comprehension of a scatterplot or a map of items. We propose a dynamic label sampling technique that, combined with graphical fisheye views, selects appropriate labels out of a large set of items on a map. Labels are sampled to give focus and contextual information according to users' panning/zooming and filtering operation. The paper also demonstrates an example of visual exploration with the image browser based on our technique.

Abstract: The use of models has entered into current practice when developing various types of software product. However, there is a lack of methods able to use the information contained in relevant models concerning human-computer interaction for supporting the design and development of user interfaces. In this paper, we propose a method for using information contained in formally represented task models in order to support the design of interactive applications, with particular attention to those applications where both usability and safety are the main concern. Examples taken from our experience in a case study from the domain of Air Traffic Control are introduced and further discussed to explain how the method can be applied.

Abstract: We illustrate how a formal model of interaction can be employed to generate documentation on how to use an application, in the form of an Animated Agent. The formal model is XDM, an extension of Coloured Petri Nets that enables representing user-adapted interfaces, simulating their behaviour and making pre-empirical usability evaluations. XDM-Agent is a personality-rich animated character that uses this formal model to illustrate the role of interface objects and to explain how tasks may be performed; its behaviour is programmed by a schema-based planning followed by a surface generation, in which verbal and non-verbal acts are combined appropriately, the agent's 'personality' may be adapted to the user characteristics.