ABSTRACT
The process of building human-computer interfaces is one that involves the construction of visualization to support productive thinking, as described in Chapter 6. The fundamental challenge lies in the design of graphical representations (i.e., visual displays). This is a very complicated endeavor and it is not surprising that researchers have considered it from a variety of conceptual perspectives. The purpose of this chapter is to review and critique some of these perspectives. Each was chosen because it emphasizes a particular facet of effective display design and provides valuable insights. It is also true, at least in our opinion, that each perspective has some limitations, which will also be described brie±y. The focus of the chapter is somewhat skewed toward issues in the design of analogical representations. However, overarching issues that are relevant for all representations are also considered. In summary, the goal of this chapter is to provide a broad introduction to and a foundation for effective interface design.
