I am here to talk about the science behind visualization. I am Prof.
Tamara Munzner from the University of British Columbia. Ask Me Anything!
Abstract
Hello world! Tamara Munzner here. I’ve been doing computer-based
visualization for almost 25 years, starting as technical staff at the
NSF-funded Geometry Center, continuing as a grad student in the Stanford
graphics group with Pat Hanrahan, and then as a professor at UBC since
2002. I have worked in a broad range of application domains including
genomics, evolutionary biology, fisheries management, energy and
sustainability, geometric topology, large-scale system administration,
web log analysis, computer networking, computational linguistics, data
mining, and journalism. Yet more details on my web site in general or my
bio page in particular. Let’s talk about the science behind
visualization! I’m particularly excited to talk about the ideas covered
my book, Visualization Analysis and Design. Since it’s done at long
last. Or any of the visualization research papers, videos, or software
at on my lab web site. Or anything about the visual representation of
data, broadly construed. And hey, it’s an AMA, so anything else is fair
game too. Including books, especially science fiction and fantasy, since
reading too much is a vice of mine. As you can see from my reading
lists: books read in reverse chronological order and books read ordered
by author, with commentary. Proof:
https://twitter.com/tamaramunzner/status/636466649541902336 Update 1:
forgot to say that the official start time for me answering is noon
Pacific time which is 3pm Eastern. That’s soon! Update 2: Answers have
started. Typety-type-type. Update 3: 3pm Pacific, taking the teeniest of
breaks for a snack and cup of tea. Must hold body and soul and neurons
together. I’ll be back! Update 4: 3:15pm Pacific, back to the keyboard.
A runny Brie on rosemary bread toast and an acceptable Cream Early Grey
have saved the day. Might need to move on to the big guns of Lapsang
Suchong or a hefty Assam soon if the questions continue at this rate!
Update 5: 6:30pm Pacific. Not dead yet - still answering! Although
admittedly my posting rate slowing down, despite my fresh cup of Halmari
Assam… Update 6: 10pm Pacific. Declaring victory, or at least
throwing in the towel. I’ve completely run out of time, I’ve mostly run
out of neurons, and I think dinner sounds like a fine idea right about
now. Wow, this has been an amazingly fun day! Many thanks to everybody
below for your thoughtful questions, and also thanks to @frostickle in
particular for both talking me into this and for shepherding me through
it.