computer science

Information visualization reference model

Information visualization reference model is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Information visualization reference model rather than just read about it. In short: The Information visualization reference model is an example of a reference model for information visualization, developed by Ed Chi in 1999, under the name of the data state model. Chi showed that the framework successfully modeled a wide array of visualization applications and later showed that the model was functionally equivalent to the data flow model used in existing graphics toolkits such as VTK.

Key takeaways

Information visualization reference model belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Information visualization reference model to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Information visualization reference model from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Information visualization reference model is an example of a reference model for information visualization, developed by Ed Chi in 1999, under the name of the data state model. Chi showed that the framework successfully modeled a wide array of visualization applications and later showed that the model was functionally equivalent to the data flow model used in existing graphics toolkits such as VTK.

Overview In previous work, according to Chi (2000), "researchers have attempted to construct taxonomies of information visualization techniques by examining the data domains that are compatible with these techniques. This is useful because implementers can quickly identify various techniques that can be applied to their domain of interest. However, these taxonomies do not help the implementers understand how to apply and implement these techniques". According to Chi (2000), he and J.T. Reidl "in 1998 extends and proposes a new way to taxonomize information visualization techniques by using the Data State Model. Many of the techniques share similar operating steps that can easily be reused. The Data State Model not only helps researchers understand the space of design, but also helps implementers understand how information visualization techniques can be applied more broadly". In 1999 Stuart Card, Jock D. Mackinlay, and Ben Shneiderman present their own interpretation of this pattern, dubbing it the information visualization reference model.

References

Further reading Ed H. Chi (2002). "Expressiveness of the Data Flow and Data State Models in Visualization Systems".

External links Description of the Information Visualization Reference Model Archived 2009-02-15 at the Wayback Machine at the InfoVis:Wiki Archived 2008-08-28 at the Wayback Machine - includes references describing the model and its use.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Information visualization reference model

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Information visualization reference model claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Information visualization reference model before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Information visualization reference model ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Information visualization reference model

In research: Information visualization reference model appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Information visualization reference model in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Information visualization reference model is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Computational science, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Information visualization reference model outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Information visualization reference model in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Information visualization reference model means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Information visualization reference model out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Information visualization reference model in simple terms?

Why does Information visualization reference model matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Information visualization reference model?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Information visualization reference model.