The document summarizes Stephen Anderson's presentation at IA Summit 2016 on creating concept models. It discusses playing a numbers game to add up to 15 as an example of a simple concept model. It then presents magic squares as a more complex concept model and compares it to tic-tac-toe. The document lists various models used to reveal patterns and concepts. It notes that while visual models are useful, the ones provided may not always fit the problem well and few know how to create new visual models. However, it suggests that all visual models are built upon common visual elements that can be used to make sense of complex ideas.
4. Write down the numbers 1 through 9 on a sheet of paper.
You will each take turns selecting numbers from the list
(crossing off each number once it has been selected).
The winner is the first person to have chosen exactly
three numbers which add up to 15.
For example if I selected 9, 6, 2 and you selected 3, 8, 4 then
you would win because 3 + 8 + 4 = 15.
Let’s play a game…
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
5. Let’s play a (different) game…
Consider a 3 x 3 magic square:
The rows, columns, and diagonals all add
up to 15, and moreover every way of
writing 15 as the sum of three numbers
from 1 to 9 is represented.
When you choose a number, draw an X
over it; when I choose a number, circle it.
4 9 2
3 5 7
8 1 6
8. Customer JourneysBusiness Model Canvas Gantt charts Site Maps
Models we use that reveal patterns:
9 Grids
Charts & Diagrams Data Visualizations Abstract Patterns
Models, Templates & Frameworks
X Y Matrices Venn Diagrams Cycles ComparisonsBubble ClustersStacked Bar Graph Line Graph
23. …create Persistent,
Shareable Structures:
•Are persistent structures.
• Can be shared with others
• Can represent literal as we! as
conceptual ideas.
…provide Perceptual,
Computational Benefits:
• Relieve our short term memory
• Help us to spot patterns
•Are powerful as mental construction tools.
…allow us to more Easily
Interact with Information:
• Can be modified.
• Can be rearranged (making it easier to
explore many options)
• Can be “reformulated”
EXTERNAL VISUAL REPRESENTATIONS…
WHY?
36. List some things you’re working with that could benefit
from a good visual model:
37. The world of
Whiskeys, Bourbons,
Rye, Cocktails,
etc.
List some things you’re working with that could benefit
from a good visual model: Choosing which
board games do
I want to buy!
The world of
artisan cheeses
Gah! I enjoy the
Marvel movies. How
do I make sense of
all the different
comic book titles
and storylines!
shopping for a
good VPN service
how public key
encryption works
a way to assess
the presidential
candidates
making sense of
medical bills
how to prepare
the perfect cup
of coffee!
comparing Android
Phones
UX Prototyping
tools
understanding
Legal Proceedings
62. WHICH DATA
WHERE?
- Geolocation
- Places I’ve been / would like to visit
- If I went, *when* I went
- Places with good food
- Places that speak English (or not)
- Relative strength of the do!ar
- etc.
63. WHICH DATA
WHERE?
- Geolocation
- Places I’ve been / would like to visit
- If I went, *when* I went
- Places with good food
- Places that speak English (or not)
- Relative strength of the do!ar
- etc.
64. WHICH DATA
WHERE?
- Geolocation
- Places I’ve been / would like to visit
- If I went, *when* I went
- Places with good food
- Places that speak English (or not)
- Relative strength of the do!ar
- etc.
65. WHICH DATA
WHERE?
- Geolocation
- Places I’ve been / would like to visit
- If I went, *when* I went
- Places with good food
- Places that speak English (or not)
- Relative strength of the do!ar
- etc.
66. WHICH DATA
WHERE?
- Geolocation
- Places I’ve been / would like to visit
- If I went, *when* I went
- Places with good food
- Places that speak English (or not)
- Relative strength of the do!ar
- etc.
71. SHAPE COLOR: INTENSITY ICONOGRAPHY PERSPECTIVE
COLOR: HUE OPACITY OVERLAY OUTLINE OR SOLID
SPATIAL POSITION TEXTURE OVERLAP ASPECT RATIO
FORM: SIZE/AREA ROTATION JOIN FORM: ENCLOSURE
LINE LENGTH LINE TREATMENT
ETC!
IF OUTLINE,
THICKNESS OF STROKE
Visual Encodings
72.
73.
74.
75. Example Encoding Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal Categorical Relational
position, placement yes infinite Good Good Good Good
1, 2, 3; A, B, C text labels optional
(alphabetical
or numbered)
infinite Good Good Good Good
length yes many Good Good
size, area yes many Good Good
angle yes medium/few Good Good
pattern density yes few Good Good
weight, boldness yes few Good
saturation, brightness yes few Good
color no few (< 20) Good
shape, icon no medium Good
pattern texture no medium Good
enclosure, connection no infinite Good Good
line pattern no few Good
line endings no few Good
line weight yes few Good
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encodings
Noah Iliinsky • ComplexDiagrams.com/properties • 2012-06
Example Encoding Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal Categorical Relational
position, placement yes infinite Good Good Good Good
1, 2, 3; A, B, C text labels optional
(alphabetical
or numbered)
infinite Good Good Good Good
length yes many Good Good
size, area yes many Good Good
angle yes medium/few Good Good
pattern density yes few Good Good
weight, boldness yes few Good
saturation, brightness yes few Good
color no few (< 20) Good
shape, icon no medium Good
pattern texture no medium Good
enclosure, connection no infinite Good Good
line pattern no few Good
line endings no few Good
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encodings
⋆
Representing
Categories
Representing
Precise Quantitative
Perception
Representing
General Quantitative
Perception
Showing
Sequence
Form: Orientation
! ! !
Form: Line Length
!
Form: Line Width
! ! limited
Form: Size / Area
! !
Form: Enclosure
!
Form: Shape
! limited
Form: Curvature
!
Form: Proximity
!* !*
Form: Added Marks
! limited
Pattern Density
! limited ! limited
Line Pattern
!
Line Endings
! !
Color: Hue
! !
Color: Intensity
(Saturation, Brightness, Opacity) ! !
Spatial Position: 2-D Position
! ! !
Motion
limited !*
Texture
! limited
Rotation
! limited limited
Perspective
! limited
Iconography
! !
76. Encoding Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encoding
Representing
Categories
Representing
Precise Quantitative
Perception
Representing
General Quantitative
Perception
Showing
Sequence
! ! !
!
! ! limited
! !
77. Encoding Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encoding
Representing
Categories
Representing
Precise Quantitative
Perception
Representing
General Quantitative
Perception
Showing
Sequence
! ! !
!
! ! limited
! !
78. Encoding Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encoding
Representing
Categories
Representing
Precise Quantitative
Perception
Representing
General Quantitative
Perception
Showing
Sequence
! ! !
!
! ! limited
! !
79. Things arranged into territories.
OBJECTS
Visual Encodings
Things
CATEGORY
PRECISE QUANTITATIVE INFO.
GENERAL QUALITATIVE INFO
SEQUENCE
Visual Encodings
80. OBJECTS
Things arranged into territories.
Spatial Positioning: Spatial Properties:
CATEGORY
PRECISE QUANTITATIVE INFO.
GENERAL QUALITATIVE INFO
SEQUENCE
Visual Encodings
84. Before the page, there was space itself.
Perhaps the simplest way to use space
to communicate is to arrange or
rearrange things in it.”
“
%om “Visualizing Thought” Barbara Tversky
85. “Close’’ family members and friends sit nearer to one
another than strangers.
The flatware tray in a drawer of most kitchens allows
arranging the knives together in one pile and separating
them from the pile of forks and the pile of spoons.
Written text is spatially arranged to reflect the organization
of thought, spaces between words and sentences, larger
spaces between paragraphs.
[We put] the letters to be mailed by the door or the bills to
be paid on the top of the desk
[We line] up the ingredients for a recipe in order of use
%om “Visualizing Thought” Barbara Tversky
86. “Close’’ family members and friends sit nearer to one
another than strangers.
The flatware tray in a drawer of most kitchens allows
arranging the knives together in one pile and separating
them from the pile of forks and the pile of spoons.
Written text is spatially arranged to reflect the organization
of thought, spaces between words and sentences, larger
spaces between paragraphs.
[We put] the letters to be mailed by the door or the bills to
be paid on the top of the desk
[We line] up the ingredients for a recipe in order of use
%om “Visualizing Thought” Barbara Tversky
LITERAL MODELS
—VS—
CONCEPTUAL MODELS
(IT’S THE SAME VISUAL LANGUAGE)
138. Identify “the thing(s)”1.
Inspect the properties
of each thing
2.
Arrange the things
(based on identified properties)
3.
Clarify the territories4.
Keep (or remove) the things,
as appropriate
5.
139. comparing Android
Phones
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Google Nexus 6P
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
LG V10
Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (5.5)
Motorola Moto G Late 2015
etc.
Identify “the thing(s)”1.
140. how to prepare
the perfect cup
of coffee!
comparing Android
Phones
Samsung Galaxy S6
Samsung Galaxy S7
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
Google Nexus 6P
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
LG V10
Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 (5.5)
Motorola Moto G Late 2015
etc.
beans:water ratio
water temperature
brew time
sugar?
cream?
- Chemex
- Aeropress
- French Press
- Syphon
- Hario V60
- Moka pot
- Percolator
beans
grind size
brew method / filter
Identify “the thing(s)”1.
143. Identify “the thing(s)”1.
play, fun, and
games,
Kite-flying
Solitaire
Crossword puzzles
Racing
Wrestling
Athletics
Boxing
Billiards
Fencing
CheckersFootball
Chess
Contests, Sports in
general
Counting-out
rhymes
Heads or tails
Betting
Roulette
Lotteries
Children’s
initiations
Games of illusion
Tag
Disguises
Masks
Children
“whirling”
Horseback riding
Swinging
Waltzing
Skiing
Mountain
climbing Tightrope walking
Traveling
carnivals
Theater
146. Kite-flying
Solitaire
Racing
Wrestling
Athletics
Boxing
Billiards
Fencing
Football
Contests, Sports in
general
Counting-out
rhymes
Heads or tails
Betting
Roulette
Lotteries
Children’s
initiations
Games of illusion
Tag
Disguises
Masks
Children
“whirling”
Horseback riding
Swinging
Waltzing
Skiing
Mountain
climbing
Tightrope walking
Traveling
carnivalsTheater
Arrange the things
(based on identified properties)
3.
Checkers
Chess
Crossword puzzles
Tumult
Agitation
Immoderate
Laughter
ludus
structured activities with
explicit rules (games)
paidia
unstructured and spontaneous
activities (playfulness)
(not regulated)
*
*
*
147. Kite-flying
Solitaire
Racing
Wrestling
Athletics
Boxing
Billiards
Fencing
Football
Contests, Sports in
general
Counting-out
rhymes
Heads or tails
Betting
Roulette
Lotteries
Children’s
initiations
Games of illusion
Tag
Disguises
Masks
Children
“whirling”
Horseback riding
Swinging
Waltzing
Skiing
Mountain
climbing
Tightrope walking
Traveling
carnivalsTheater
Chance
Clarify the territories4.
Checkers
Chess
Crossword puzzles
Tumult
Agitation
Immoderate
Laughter
Mimicry VertigoCompetition
ludus
structured activities with
explicit rules (games)
paidia
unstructured and spontaneous
activities (playfulness)
(not regulated)
*
*
*
150. Identify “the thing”1.
Inspect the properties
of each thing
2.
Arrange the things
(based on identified properties)
3.
Clarify the territories4.
Keep (or remove) the things,
as appropriate
5.
151. Things arranged into territories.
OBJECTS
Spatial Positioning:
ARRANGMENT
PROXIMITY
Spatial Properties:
SHAPE
BOUNDARIES
RELATIONSHIPS
ATTRIBUTE INTENSITY
CATEGORY
PRECISE QUANTITATIVE INFO.
GENERAL QUALITATIVE INFO
SEQUENCE
Visual Encodings
152. poetpainter.com/tiles
Example Encoding
Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal Categorical Relational
position, placement yes
infinite Good Good Good Good
1, 2, 3; A, B, C text labels
optional
(alphabetical
or numbered)
infinite Good Good Good Good
length
yes
many Good Good
size, area
yes
many Good Good
angle
yes
medium/few Good Good
pattern density yes
few Good Good
weight, boldness yes
few
Good
saturation, brightness yes
few
Good
color
no
few (< 20)
Good
shape, icon
no
medium
Good
pattern texture no
medium
Good
enclosure, connection no
infinite
Good Good
line pattern
no
few
Good
line endings
no
few
Good
line weight
yes
few
Good
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encodings
Noah Iliinsky • ComplexDiagrams.com/properties • 2012-06
Example Encoding
Ordered Useful values Quantitative Ordinal Categorical Relational
position, placement yes
infinite Good Good Good Good
1, 2, 3; A, B, C text labels
optional
(alphabetical
or numbered)
infinite Good Good Good Good
length
yes
many Good Good
size, area
yes
many Good Good
angle
yes
medium/few Good Good
pattern density yes
few Good Good
weight, boldness yes
few
Good
saturation, brightness yes
few
Good
color
no
few (< 20)
Good
shape, icon
no
medium
Good
pattern texture no
medium
Good
enclosure, connection no
infinite
Good Good
line pattern
no
few
Good
line endings
no
few
Good
line weight
yes
few
Good
Properties and Best Uses of Visual Encodings
Noah Iliinsky • ComplexDiagrams.com/properties • 2012-06
⋆
1, 2, 3; A, B ,C
Representing
Categories
Representing
Precise Quantitative
Perception
Representing
General Quantitative
Perception
Showing
Sequence
Form: Orientation
! !
!
Form: Line Length
!
Form: Line Width
!
! limited
Form: Size / Area
! !
Form: Enclosure
!
Form: Shape
! limited
Form: Curvature
!
Form: Proximity
!*
!*
Form: Added Marks
! limited
Pattern Density
! limited ! limited
Line Pattern
!
Line Endings
!
!
Color: Hue
!
!
Color: Intensity
(Saturation, Brightness, Opacity)
! !
Spatial Position: 2-D Position
! !
!
Motion
limited !*
Texture
! limited
Rotation
! limited
limited
Perspective
! limited
Iconography
!
!
Outline or Solid
limited
Overlay
limited !
Overlap
!
limited
Join
limited !
Aspect Ratio
limited
limited
Labels
! ! ! !
Transformation
!
limited !
Quantity
limited !