Task Cube: A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Space of User Tasks in Visualization Design and Evaluation

Alexander Rind; Wolfgang Aigner; Markus Wagner; Silvia Miksch; Tim Lammarsch

doi:10.1177/1473871615621602

Task Cube: A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Space of User Tasks in Visualization Design and Evaluation

Alexander Rind, Wolfgang Aigner, Markus Wagner, Silvia Miksch, Tim Lammarsch

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

User tasks play a pivotal role in visualization design and evaluation. However, the term ‘task’ is used ambiguously within the visualization community. In this article, we critically analyze the relevant literature and systematically compare definitions of ‘task’ and the usage of related terminology. In doing so, we identify a three-dimensional conceptual space of user tasks in visualization, referred to as the task cube, and the more precise concepts ‘objective’ and ‘action’ for tasks. We illustrate the usage of the task cube’s dimensions in an objective-driven visualization process, in different scenarios of visualization design and evaluation, and for comparing categorizations of abstract tasks. Thus, visualization researchers can better formulate their contributions which helps advance visualization as a whole.

Original language	English
Journal	Information Visualization
Issue number	special issue on "Evaluation in Visualization"
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1473871615621602
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 27 Dec 2015

Keywords

Action design guidelines interaction objective task frameworks terminology visualization theory

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title = "Task Cube: A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Space of User Tasks in Visualization Design and Evaluation",

abstract = "User tasks play a pivotal role in visualization design and evaluation. However, the term {\textquoteleft}task{\textquoteright} is used ambiguously within the visualization community. In this article, we critically analyze the relevant literature and systematically compare definitions of {\textquoteleft}task{\textquoteright} and the usage of related terminology. In doing so, we identify a three-dimensional conceptual space of user tasks in visualization, referred to as the task cube, and the more precise concepts {\textquoteleft}objective{\textquoteright} and {\textquoteleft}action{\textquoteright} for tasks. We illustrate the usage of the task cube{\textquoteright}s dimensions in an objective-driven visualization process, in different scenarios of visualization design and evaluation, and for comparing categorizations of abstract tasks. Thus, visualization researchers can better formulate their contributions which helps advance visualization as a whole. ",

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author = "Alexander Rind and Wolfgang Aigner and Markus Wagner and Silvia Miksch and Tim Lammarsch",

year = "2015",

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AU - Aigner, Wolfgang

AU - Wagner, Markus

AU - Miksch, Silvia

AU - Lammarsch, Tim

PY - 2015/12/27

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AB - User tasks play a pivotal role in visualization design and evaluation. However, the term ‘task’ is used ambiguously within the visualization community. In this article, we critically analyze the relevant literature and systematically compare definitions of ‘task’ and the usage of related terminology. In doing so, we identify a three-dimensional conceptual space of user tasks in visualization, referred to as the task cube, and the more precise concepts ‘objective’ and ‘action’ for tasks. We illustrate the usage of the task cube’s dimensions in an objective-driven visualization process, in different scenarios of visualization design and evaluation, and for comparing categorizations of abstract tasks. Thus, visualization researchers can better formulate their contributions which helps advance visualization as a whole.

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Task Cube: A Three-Dimensional Conceptual Space of User Tasks in Visualization Design and Evaluation

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