Patterns and Sensemaking: Information Visualization

George SiemensApril 25, 2007

Topics

• Information growth and overload• Aggregation, syndication – initial

attempt to cope• Information visualization: make

sense of abundance

• "If you have three pet dogs, give them names. If you have 10,000 head of cattle, don't bother"

David Gelernter

Infoluenza

“failure to master our information resources and that to achieve contentment at work in solving our business problems”

http://knowledgefutures.wordpress.com/2006/08/22/infoluenza/

See also Cures:http://blog.jackvinson.com/archives/2007/04/18/

infoluenza_cures.html

Brains crave patterns

• A pattern is

– About sense making– Understanding– Temporary “state of”– Evolving, emergent– Aggregation, context, experience

Current state

• Information generation tools – exploded

• Aggregation tools – growing

• Data, information manipulation tools: embryonic

“The beset graphics are about the useful and important, about life and death”

E. Tufte

Tags: Web of meaning

Visualization

• Grunt cognition• Move to meaning/sensemaking • Shifts perspectives• Provides insight• Memory• New connections

GDP

http://www.worldmapper.org/

Population

http://www.worldmapper.org/

http://news.com.com/The+Big+Picture/2030-12_3-5843390.html

Exposure of periphery: loose connections

http://www.quintura.com/

Collective Voice

http://infosthetics.com/archives/2007/04/audience_collective_voice_display.html

Network analysis

http://www.orgnet.com/netindustry.html

Patterns, history

Patterns, history

Hierarchy Edge Bundles3D File Manager

•http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/

Political blogosphere, 2004 Blue Brain

Sensemaking

• What is it?• What does it mean?• What perspectives are included?• Shared?

Where does “knowledge” reside?

Decentralized

Distributed

Disintermediated

Disaggregated

Dis-Integrated

Democratic

Dynamic

Desegregated

http://it.coe.uga.edu/itforum/paper92/paper92.html

Via: http://www.downes.ca/cgi-bin/page.cgi?presentation=45

Networks: Downes

What impacts network formation?

Spaces of knowledge

Networks & Ecologies

• Filter• Foster• Form patterns• Create archive “future repurposing”

Yeah, ok, but what’s the use?

• Network models of learning are adaptive

• Ecologies must be diverse and enabling• Today’s information is tomorrow’s

sensemaking• Sane, digital life• Complex, integrated understanding• Multi-faceted• Multi-ontology

www.elearnspace.orgwww.knowingknowledge.com

www.connectivism.ca