Distribution of information processing while performing complex cognitive activities with visualization tools

Abstract

When using visualization tools to perform complex cognitive activities, such as sense-making, analytical reasoning, and learning, human users and visualization tools form a joint cognitive system. Through processing and transfer of information within and among the components of this system, complex problems are solved, complex decisions are made, and complex cognitive processes emerge-all in a manner that would not be easily performable by the human or the visualization tool alone. Although researchers have recognized this, no systematic treatment of how to best distribute the information-processing load during the performance of complex cognitive activities is available in the existing literature. While previous research has identified some relevant principles that shed light on this issue, the pertinent research findings are not integrated into coherent models and frameworks, and are scattered across many disciplines, such as cognitive psychology, educational psychology, information visualization, data analytics, and computer science. This chapter provides an initial examination of this issue by identifying and discussing some key concerns, integrating some fundamental concepts, and highlighting some current research gaps that require future study. The issues examined in this chapter are of importance to many domains, including visual analytics, data and information visualization, human-information interaction, educational and cognitive technologies, and human-computer interaction design. The approach taken in this chapter is human-centered, focusing on the distribution of information processing with the ultimate purpose of supporting the complex cognitive activities of human users of visualization tools.