Seeing Things Your Way: Information Visualization for a User-Centered Database of Computer Science Literature

Nowell, Lucy Terry and Fox, Edward A. and Heath, Lenwood S. and Hix, Deborah and Wake, William C. and Labow, Eric D. (1994) Seeing Things Your Way: Information Visualization for a User-Centered Database of Computer Science Literature. Technical Report ncstrl.vatech_cs//TR-94-06, Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Abstract

Project Envision is a user-centered multimedia database of computer science literature. Envision features powerful information visualization by displaying search results as a matrix of icons, with layout semantics under user control. Its Graphic View interacts with Item Summary and Preview Item windows to give users access to bibliographic information and abstracts. The concepts underlying these windows are being extended to a Graphical Browser for the full database and for hierarchical structures. This paper describes the development process and information visualization facilities in Envision search results and browsing displays.