Expanding the Scope: Interaction Design Perspectives for Visual Analytics

In this paper, we explore the current state of interaction design in visual analytics. Current visual analytics design is heavily focused on interface issues like scalability and tool functionality; this focus is necessary, but it should not be exclusive. Further, most consideration of human cognition is done after tool development in the form of limited evaluation. We argue that, by definition, visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by visual interfaces, and as such, should consider complex human cognition in visual analytics design before and after tool development. We discuss two extant approaches to interaction design (Activity Theory and Participatory Design) and discuss how they might be applied, as well as the potential benefits to these approaches. We also introduce a design tool adapted for visual analytics, and provide an example of visual analytics interaction design in action. Future implications of this work are also discussed.