Moving Geovisualization toward Support for Group Work

This chapter provides a conceptual framework for research and practice in geovisualization and for visualization as a facilitator for group work with geospatial information. This framework identifies three primary functions for visual representations as a vehicle to support group work. First, visual representations can act as the object of collaboration, thus, as an entity to discuss, create, or manipulate. Second, visualization can provide support for dialogue (about information, plans, methods, strategies, or decisions). Third, visual representation can provide support for coordinated activity, thus, for compiling information, carrying out plans, or executing decisions. The need for multidisciplinary collaboration to address issues raised is also discussed so that the full advantage of advances in technology that promise to enable distributed and collaborative work can be taken. These issues relate to the use of visualization as the object of collaboration and the use of visualization to support dialogue and coordinated activity. The object of collaboration can vary widely from developing a master plan for a city through developing situation awareness and assessing that situation in a crisis management context, to scientific work such as modeling hydrologic processes.