Using map-based visual interfaces to facilitate knowledge discovery in digital libraries

Abstract

In recent years there has been growing interest in supporting knowledge discovery activities using map-based visual interfaces. The goal is promising and ambitious, but not very easy to achieve due to the lack of understanding of cognitive factors involved in how information is transformed into knowledge. In this paper we present a map-based visual interface, VICOLEX (VIsual COLlection Explorer), aimed at facilitating and supporting knowledge discovery and users' cognitive activities by means of integrated visual representations coupled with interactions.