Patterns and Sensemaking: Information Visualization George Siemens April 25, 2007

Topics Information growth and overload Aggregation, syndication – initial attempt to cope Information visualization: make sense of abundance

"If you have three pet dogs, give them names. If you have 10,000 head of cattle, don't bother" David Gelernter

Infoluenza failure to master our information resources and that to achieve contentment at work in solving our business problems See also Cures:

Brains crave patterns A pattern is –About sense making –Understanding –Temporary state of –Evolving, emergent –Aggregation, context, experience

Current state Information generation tools – exploded Aggregation tools – growing Data, information manipulation tools: embryonic

The beset graphics are about the useful and important, about life and death E. Tufte

Tags: Web of meaning

Visualization Grunt cognition Move to meaning/sensemaking Shifts perspectives Provides insight Memory New connections

GDP

Population

Exposure of periphery: loose connections

Collective Voice

Network analysis

Patterns, history

Hierarchy Edge Bundles 3D File Manager Political blogosphere, 2004Blue Brain

Sensemaking What is it? What does it mean? What perspectives are included? Shared?

Where does knowledge reside?

Decentralized Distributed Disintermediated Disaggregated Dis-Integrated Democratic Dynamic Desegregated Via: Networks: Downes

What impacts network formation?

Spaces of knowledge

Networks & Ecologies Filter Foster Form patterns Create archive future repurposing

Yeah, ok, but whats the use? Network models of learning are adaptive Ecologies must be diverse and enabling Todays information is tomorrows sensemaking Sane, digital life Complex, integrated understanding Multi-faceted Multi-ontology