Adaptive Visualisation Tools for e-Science
Collaboration (ADVISES)
Alistair Sutcliffe (PI)
Oscar De Bruijn, Jock McNaught
Sarah Thew, Colin Venters,
School of Informatics,
Iain Buchan
NIHBI,
Rob Proctor
NCESS
University of Manchester
EPSRC E-Science Usability program
May 2006- April 2009
Objectives
•
To analyse users’ research methods and questions using sub-language –
research questions drive workflow
•
To develop a prototype, configurable visualisation-data analysis system
driven by research questions
•
To evaluate the prototype with researchers in the medical e-science
community.
•
To develop a user-centred requirements analysis and design method for escience.
The VisionResearch Questions are the E-science interface
Interactive Visualisation allows you to see the effect of your question
AND you can interpret the results in context
Our Domain- Epidemiology
Research
questions
Interactive
visualisation
See the effects of different
Analyses- in context (space, time.
distribution in population, etc)
Understanding
Childhood
obesity
Causal analysis
from complex
multivariate
spatio- temporal
evidence
Multi-variate statistical
analyses- differences
between cohorts
over time, between areas
Requirements Analysis- Approach
• Ethnographic studies- observing research practices
• Interviews for background domain knowledge
• Language analysis- analysing published papers and recorded
conversations (Research Questions)
• Scenarios and Storyboards- early designs for
-Primary Care Trusts- visualisation of epidemiology of
childhood obesity
- Genetic Epidemiology- visualisations linking population level
genetic markers to disease profiles and metabolic pathways
• Requirements workshops and demonstrations
Prototypes and Storyboards
Chromosome overview
level
Population
differences
√
LD
√
SNP
Names
rs1243
rs2684
rs5387
rs367
rs9877
rs1354
rs3243
Mutation
DNA allele
Mutation
Effect on
Protein/
Enzyme
production
2.3.4.2
3-hydroxy-2
oxypentanoate
Zoom in to
find
Gene detail (SNPs)
√
0.001
0.0023
0.05
0.001
0.002
0.05
0.04
Pathway ID - 124463
2-Aceto-2
hydroxybutanoate
Gene
Features
√
Gene Name
2,3 Dihydro 3
methypentanoate
Link to see
effect on
6.2.34.6
Metabolic Pathways
6.2.34.6: FRA1 – RS1234 p = 0.012
PCT prototype- Epi-maps
Multiple
representations
Analysis
controls
Interactive
Map display
Quick win prototype- more complex controls and functions added later
Problems encountered
(and lessons learned)
• Limited user/domain expert availability- diversify use base
- engage users with storyboards and prototypes early
- go with the flow- follow your users’ enthusiasm
• Understanding the domain
– background reading
– appropriate expertise on the team
• Prioritising Requirements
- cost/benefit analysis for trade offs
- look for quick wins for user engagement
Progress to date
• Requirements analysis nearly complete- research questions &
workflows
• Storyboards and prototypes developed for 2 sub projects
PCT prototype- Epi-Maps
Genetic Epidemiology Visualisation (storyboards)
• Moving onto 2nd version prototypes with evaluation studies
• Developing method and design framework for e-science
visualisation
• Refining requirements analysis method- Question driven
requirements