pieTime: Visualizing Communication Patterns

Abstract

Abstract-This paper explores how aggregated behavioral data might help people reflect on patterns in their lives using pieTime, a visualization that presents communication activity aggregated at levels from hours in a day to months in a year. pieTime builds on recent work in conversation visualization and lifelogging by focusing on rhythms rather than details and supporting reflection across different media. An evaluation with 15 people supports findings from prior work about the importance of particular details and storytelling in tools that support reflection, even when the design goals emphasize higher-level patterns. Still, aggregate patterns provide additional insight into personal behavior, suggesting that systems that integrate both particulars and patterns may be especially valuable, especially when they also help people build and manage their identities.

On the Integration of Self-tracking Data amongst Quantified Self Members

“…New technical methods identified facilitate the collection of alternative data sources (Khovanskaya et al 2013, Li et al 2012, Rawassizadeh et al 2012. Furthermore the creation of designer-led visualisations (Ng et al 2011) has helped our understanding of how people reflect on their data. Contextual data has been introduced to representations of data to stimulate users' reflection on their behaviours (Li et al 2012), increasing our understanding of the reflection stage.…”