Visualization of Complex Version-Based Collaborative Processes

Description

Many domains, including collaborative software development and simulation-based modelling, involve many artifacts, complex version histories, and detailed division of both interest and responsibility across the project artifacts. In these situations it is often difficult to determine how versions have evolved, which version to use as a new starting point for a further exploration, or who has been involved in the development of a particular artifact or version. In this project we are designing visualization techniques that will make these concerns easier to understand. We are initially using collaborative modelling as a domain – projects in which multiple experts use simulation tools such as VenSim or AnyLogic to explore a space of possibilities based on a model or set of models. However, the visualization techniques are applicable to a wide variety of domains; we will next investigate their use in collaborative development of surface applications and surface toolkits.

Images and Videos

SILVER collaborative workspace and awareness visualization

Publications

• Xue, Y., Osgood, N., and Gutwin, C. (2011) SILVERVIZ: Extending SILVER for coordination in distributed collaborative modeling. Proceedings of the 29th International Conference of the System Dynamics Society, Washington, DC. 108-109.

Partners

NSERC – SurfNet