Sources of Computer Metaphors for Visualization and Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to finding sources for metaphors of computer visualization and human-computer interaction. Computer metaphor is considered the basic idea for the development of interfaces, visualization views, and scenarios of visualization and interaction. Global metaphors map the main design idea. These ideas depend on global events and changes in society, art, and science. In the "precomputer" era, such ideas formed the basics of cartography, engineering drawings, and drawing function graphs on the Cartesian plane. When designing visualization and interactive systems, computer metaphors use "magic features" beside analogies with daily life. Nowadays ideas of visualization are often based on "gamification." This approach presupposes creating tools that provide software engineers with an interface similar to that of computer games. In this chapter, ideas drawn upon fairy tales, science fiction books, fantasy films, and other similar spheres are considered as sources of computer metaphors. Such metaphors are very interesting when designing visualization systems based on virtual reality.

Understanding the User Interfaces Through Spatial Metaphors

“…Finally, spatial information can be expressed with the metric approach with the Cartesian system. In this sense, the use of the Cartesian system is at the forefront of the most powerful ideas of visualization for visual representations in the digital environment (Averbukh, 2019). All these approaches play an important externalizing role to create spatial relationships that can be expressed from object to space, from mind to representation.…”

On Expressiveness of Visualization Systems' Interfaces

“…In order to solve these problems, specialized visualization systems are being developed. They boost users' productivity in solving their certain visualization problems and allow to emphasize exactly those features which are important for the certain task, ensuring visualization correctness and informativity [1,2].…”