Temporal-Geospatial Cooperative Visual Analysis

Abstract

Given the diverse set of pervasive tracking technologies available, temporal-geospatial data is being collected at an unprecedented rate. However, the effective visualization and interpretation of this data remains elusive. Visualizations have focused on showing an object's location, however more complex inter-entity queries also need to be supported, e.g. "did X and Y meet, and if so, where and when?". We present Cooperative Visual Analysis, a combination of two novel visualizations, the Parallel Schedule View and the Braille Plot, working in synergy with a traditional 2D map. The Parallel Schedule View focuses on showing colocation (simultaneous or time separated), with the Braille Plot used to resolve position ambiguity and identify patterns and trends within a data trace (in addition to colocation). We present descriptions of each, and a user study showing support for these approaches. The study compared Cooperative Visual Analysis with a current approach, the Space Time Cube, and found the Cooperative Visual Analysis is an effective means for visualizing temporal-geospatial relationships in a data set, performing at or above the Space Time Cube, whilst being preferred by users.