EdgeSense_II_mockup (variation 1 2 and 3)
The mock-up should serve as a reference target app to express requirements, and more importantly:
- specify user (community manager, ER conversationalist, ...) tasks
- specify appropriate visual encodings -- those suggested in the mock-ups are just mock-ups, not even suggestion (although based on past experience)
- specify proper interaction
VISUALIZATION INCLUDED IN THE MOCK-UPS ARE JUST SUGGESTIONS
What we are after is to collect ideas on what representations would be best to support specific tasks. Tasks may vary according to user role (community managers, ER conversationalist, etc.). A representation may suit a user but not another depending on their role or personal preference.
THE MAIN CONCERN HERE IS TO SPECIFY TASKS USERS ARE CONDUCTING WHEN USING THE APP
I maintain a viewable commentable GDocs version of this document.
App components
The app will most probably assemble a variety of components, some visual, other textual, etc.
For example, the “User interaction” component may contain a visualization of interactions inferred from conversations – as is now the case with EdgeSense. The “Sentiment analysis” component may report on the evolution of the general mood taking place along time (with respect to given topics, for instance).
Because we may head towards the visualization of user interaction over time, we may consider animating views (animated node-link); we may also consider alternate views (matrix instead of node-links, or hybrid combinations).
Actions - navigating the Op3nCare information space
Comments component
Remarks collected during the MoN4 sessions suggested to allow users to visualize comments – as well as users and tags – associated with the dual user/tags view.
Associated posts and comments (threads) can be pulled out from the conversation database and shown appropriately:
- node-link? (variation 1) to give a sense of how the conversation evolved -- clicking on node could then trigger a browser tab pointing at the selected conversation
- text list (variation 2 - mimicking the layout on the edgeryders.eu portal?) -- clicking a comment thumbnail could then trigger a browser tab pointing at the selected conversation
- any other suggestion?
Tags / Topics component
The Detangler application (which in a sense is replicated here, to which other components are added) brings in a synchronized dual view where queries can be triggered by selecting users to see what topics have been discussed among themselves.
The tags component seems to be a central one.
There are multiples ways to provide access to tags.
- Detangler uses a node-link representation that is synchronized with the layout of users
- A matrix views could be a possible option (variation 2)
- A tag cloud is another option (variation 3) where tags need to be laid out so they more or less synch with user layout
- Any other idea?
Querying time
In its actual version, EdgeSense already allows users to filter posts over a given time interval (90 days, for instance). The origin of the specified time window can then be set by moving a slider left or right.
We could, for instance, use a time slider that reports the amounts of activity that took place along time. This is what the vertical bars piled from left to right suggest here: vertical bars correspond to moments in time where activity took place. Thicker bars could be used to indicate more intense activity going on the portal.
The slider provides more details on a selected time interval (in a similar way as what the OS X dock does when browsing your apps).
