Nerd Alert

Just got in an abstract to the Association of American Geographers for their annual conference in Seattle this spring.  I've posted it here as a nerd test -if you read it, you are a nerd (and I hope to see you there)...

Marty McFly shows a couple future-kids some arcade prowess.  By the way, the kid on the left wearing a colander hat is a very young Elijah Wood.

When is Where It's At

Puzzles and Pragmatism for the Inevitable 4th Dimension

Geo-visualization, and the authoring tools that facilitate it, has benefited particularly in recent years from an increased attention to the application and visualization of time-based attributes.  Incorporating the temporal dimension into interactive mapping benefits from a thoughtful look at some relevant information architecture constructs, the cumulative benefit of visual concurrence, consistent interaction paradigms, and the nature of the phenomena that is to be illustrated.  Specifically, is the temporal nature of the mapped phenomena instantaneous, a discrete range, or a variable continuum?  How is a user to navigate this dimension across range and scale in a digital environment?  What characteristics of time might drive thematic treatments of the data?  To what extent will user interaction amongst visualization elements be tandemized?  What are some time zone offset considerations for storing and retrieving time data within an extended or shared data environment?  This presentation will cover practical concepts and considerations relating to the incorporation of time as a variable in interactive mapping, offer recommendations for the effective communication and user experience thereof, and propose specific opportunities for empirical research.

Tags: time, timeline, temporal, gis, visualization, information architecture, geovisuzalization, interaction, ux, user experience, design, change, cognition

John Nelson / IDV Solutions / john.nelson@idvsolutions.com