Visualization of interactions in an online collaboration environment

Abstract

The use of computer-mediated communication and collaboration systems has become increasingly widespread over the past decade. These systems have also become the focus of research into online interaction and communication. Such research is facilitated by the use of information visualization, and a sampling of different types of visualization applied to computer-mediated communication and collaboration systems is given in this paper. We then present our own work on visualizing information from the LiveNet collaboration system. We have developed three distinct forms of visualizations: workspace network maps, workspace maps, and discussion maps, which are displayed using a modified form of an animated spring algorithm. We present examples of visualizations from the LiveNet system that allow certain aspects and patterns of the interaction carried out through it to be perceived