Adaptive Visualisation Tools for e-Science Collaboration (ADVISES)

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Adaptive Visualisation Tools for e-Science
Collaboration (ADVISES)
Alistair Sutcliffe (PI) Oscar De Bruijn, Jock
McNaught Sarah Thew, Colin Venters, School of
Informatics, Iain Buchan NIHBI, Rob
Proctor NCESS University of Manchester EPSRC
E-Science Usability  programMay 2006- April 2009
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Objectives

• To analyse users research methods and questions
  using sub-language research questions drive
  workflow
• To develop a prototype, configurable
  visualisation-data analysis system driven by
  research questions
• To evaluate the prototype with researchers in the
  medical e-science community.
• To develop a user-centred requirements analysis
  and design method for e-science.
• The Vision-
• Research Questions are the E-science interface
• Interactive Visualisation allows you to see the
  effect of your question
• AND you can interpret the results in
  context

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Our Domain- Epidemiology
Research questions
See the effects of different Analyses- in context
(space, time. distribution in population, etc)
Interactive visualisation
Understanding Childhood obesity
Causal analysis from complex multivariate spatio-
temporal evidence
Multi-variate statistical analyses- differences
between cohorts over time, between areas
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Requirements Analysis- Approach

• Ethnographic studies- observing research
  practices
• Interviews for background domain knowledge
• Language analysis- analysing published papers and
  recorded conversations (Research Questions)
• Scenarios and Storyboards- early designs for
• -Primary Care Trusts- visualisation of
  epidemiology of
• childhood obesity
• - Genetic Epidemiology- visualisations linking
  population level genetic markers to disease
  profiles and metabolic pathways
• Requirements workshops and demonstrations

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Prototypes and Storyboards
Chromosome overview level
Population differences
Zoom in to find
Mutation DNA allele
Gene detail (SNPs)
Link to see effect on
Mutation Effect on Protein/ Enzyme production
Metabolic Pathways
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PCT prototype- Epi-maps
Multiple representations
Analysis controls
Interactive Map display
Quick win prototype- more complex controls and
functions added later
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Problems encountered(and lessons learned)

• Limited user/domain expert availability-
• - diversify use base
• - engage users with storyboards and prototypes
  early
• - go with the flow- follow your users
  enthusiasm
• Understanding the domain
• background reading
• appropriate expertise on the team
• Prioritising Requirements
• - cost/benefit analysis for trade offs
• - look for quick wins for user engagement

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Progress to date

• Requirements analysis nearly complete- research
  questions workflows
• Storyboards and prototypes developed for 2 sub
  projects
• PCT prototype- Epi-Maps
• Genetic Epidemiology Visualisation (storyboards)
• Moving onto 2nd version prototypes with
  evaluation studies
• Developing method and design framework for
  e-science visualisation
• Refining requirements analysis method- Question
  driven requirements