Findability and Design: How Sizzle Distracts from Understanding
May 9, 2012
I have been watching the Disneyfication of search. A results list is just not exciting unless there are dozens of links, images, videos, and graphs to help me find the answer to my research question. As far as I know, Palantir and several other analytics companies have built their businesses on outputting flashy graphics which I often have a tough time figuring out. My view is that looks are more important than substance in many organizations.
I read “Designers Are Not a Panacea.” I agree with the basic premise of the write up. Here’s a passage I tucked into my reference file:
Rather than granting designers full control over the product, remember that they need to play nice and integrate with several other aspects of your business. You need to remember that you are building a business not a pretty app. A designer co-founder could help (as could a sales co-founder), but does not offer any guarantees that you will make good business decisions, regardless of how “beautiful” an experience your application offers (not to say that adding more engineers does). Visual aesthetics are rarely enough. Getting a product into the hands of potential customers is important.
The write leaves an important question unanswered: “Why is the pursuit of visual flashiness now so important?”
I have several hypotheses, and I don’t think that some of these have been explored in sufficient detail by either the private equity firms pumping money into graphic-centric search and content processing companies. Here goes and feel free to use the comments section of this blog if you disagree:
First, insecurity. I think that many professionals are not sure of their product or service, not sure of their expertise, and not sure of their own “aura of competence.” Hiding behind visually thrilling graphs distracts the audience to some degree. The behavior of listeners almost guarantees that really basic questions about sample size and statistical recipes used to output the visual will not be asked.
Second, mislead. I think that humans like to look at pictures and then do the “thinking fast, thinking slow” thing and jump to conclusions for social or psychological reasons. The notion of an in depth discussion is something I have watched get kicked into the gutter in some recent meetings. The intellectual effort required to think about a problem is just not present. A visual makes it easy for the speaker and the listener to mislead intentionally.
Third, indifference. In a recent meeting, several presenters put up slides which had zero to do with the topic at hand. The speaker pointed to the visual and made a totally unrelated comment or observation. No one in the audience cared. I don’t think most people were listening. Fiddling with smart phones or playing with iPads has replaced listening and old fashioned note taking. The speaker did not care either. I think the presentation was prepared by some corporate team and the presenter was trying to smile and get through the briefing.
What does design have to do with search? If one looks at the “new” interfaces for Google and Microsoft Web search, I noted that neither service was making fundamental changes. In fact, Google seemed to be moving to the old Excite and Yahoo approach with three columns and a bewildering number of hot links. Microsoft, on the other hand, was emulating Google’s interface in 2006 and 2007.
Visualization systems and methods have made significant contributions to engineering and certain types of mathematics. However, for other fields, visualization has become lipstick designed to distract, obfuscate, or distort information.
In US government briefings, visual sizzle is often more important than the content presented. I have seen the same disturbing trend at analytics and search conferences. Without accountability from colleagues and employers, design is going to convert search and findability into a walk through Disneyland. The walk is fun, but I don’t think an amusement park shares much with the nitty grit of day to day revenue generation from software and services.
Stephen E Arnold, May 9, 2012
Sponsored by Ikanow
Visualization Roundup: Are Pictures Easier Than Math?
May 5, 2012
Want your data to have visual impact? Visualizations can be a great tool, and MakeUseOf provides some strong examples in “5 Coolest Places to Find Visualizations on the Web.” Be judicious in their use, though, some visualizations are just distracting.
MakeUseOf’s Ryan Dube writes:
“I went out in search of some other sites that offer cool and interesting ways to represent data in a non-text manner. Visualizations let you display a huge volume of information or statistics in a very small space, making them an excellent way to present study results or poll results in a way that is really easy to understand and to spot patterns.”
Dube returned from his search excited about five sites. IBM’s history flow graphically displays the editing history of Wikipedia pages. It clearly illustrates times when a page was spitefully deleted, as well as insight into the growth of certain topics. (It’s also kind of pretty.)
Despite its name, FleshMap is not R rated, though I’d give it a scholarly PG-13. This site focuses on human desire, exploring “the relationship between the body and its visual and verbal representation” in popular culture. It might be best explored after leaving the office.
The last three sites, IBM‘s Many Eyes, Visualizing.org sponsored by GE, and UC Berkeley‘s Visualization Gallery, each serve up large collections of visualizations. Much time could be wasted at any of these sites. Oh yeah, and if you want to create visualizations yourself, they can also provide a wealth of examples.
Cynthia Murrell, May 5, 2012
Sponsored by PolySpot
SAS Gets More Visual
March 31, 2012
Inxight (now owned by BusinessObjects, part of the SAP empire) is history at SAS or almost history. Now the company is moving in a different direction.
Jaikumar Vijayan writes about a new visual analytics application recently unveiled by SAS in his article “SAS Promises Pervasive BI with New Tool.” Einstein is believed to have once said “computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid. Human beings are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant. Together they are powerful beyond imagination.” We noted this passage from Mr. Vijayan’s write up:
Unlike many purely server-based enterprise analytics technologies, Visual Analytics gives business users a full range of data discovery, data visualization and querying capabilities from desktop and mobile client devices, the company said.
The initial version of the new tool allows iPad users to view reports and download information to their devices. Future versions will support other mobile devices as well, SAS added. The quote is actually a good description of the concept that underlies Visual Analysis. The process uses analytic reasoning to detect specific information in massive amount of data. For example, a clothing manufacturer might use it to determine current trends in ladies’ fashions. The results are presented in charts and graphs to the users, who can fine-tune the parameters until their specific queries are answered.
SAS is known for its statistical functionality, its programming language, and its need for SAS-savvy cow pokes to ride herd on the bits and bytes. Will SAS be able to react to the trend for the consumerization of business intelligence.
While the technology is impressive, SAS may be a little late to the game. Palantir and Digital Reasoning have already introduced applications that offer clients powerful Visual Analysis capabilities. Time will tell if SAS is able to catch up to some competitors’ approach. We are interested in Digital Reasoning, Ikanow and Quid.
Stephen E Arnold, March 31, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Why Read? Images Are Stronger
March 14, 2012
I came across an article about the value of Facebook profile pictures as opposed to text, and was amazed by the new research that shows that words simply do not matter; it is all about image.
“With the Right Photo, Your Facebook Text Profile Hardly Matters,” covers a couple of studies by Brandon Van Der Heide and two other Ohio State graduate students. The studies look into how people make impressions of others on social networking sites, and it seems that is primarily done through photos.
Apparently, people already have certain expectations of the photos they view on social networking. We expect people to highlight successes and social activities. The study went on to show that if a photo fits what someone expects to see, then the rest of the profile doesn’t have much impact on the viewer. If it doesn’t fit what they expect, that is when people will decide to look closer at what you wrote. The article continues:
Van Der Heide [lead author of the study and assistant professor of communication at Ohio State University] said he believes the results apply beyond Facebook to dating websites and other social networking sites. It should also apply to other traits beyond extraversion and introversion, such as social desirability and even political orientation. It all depends on what is shown in the photographs, and what clues viewers can glean from them.
According to the research, when people use text or photos alone to build an impression, text will typically have a greater influence. As more businesses head to social networking to build strategic relationships and strengthen customer bases, this is something that should be kept in mind. Be sure to highlight exactly what you want the customer to take away at first glance, because that may be the only glance you get.
Andrea Hayden, March 14, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Data Mining Hits the Big Screen
March 4, 2012
It seems that 3D is not just for the big screen any more. According to the SlideShare article “Visual Data Mining with HeatMiner” three-dimensional heatmaps can be used to represent data. The makers of HeatMiner claim that large data sets with a variety of correlating attributes can be hard to understand “using traditional data analysis and visualization methods.” “HeatMiner is a new visual data mining technology which visualizes the data as three-dimensional heatmaps.” HeatMiner argues that most data reports are too simple and therefore lack accuracy. Visual data mining with HeatMiner relies on 3D shapes to represent frequent value combinations. “Colors can be used as the fourth dimension or to ease interpretation.” At first glance the technology is very attractive and does grab your attention but will is that enough for users to buy into this visual mining technology. Only time will tell if this new technology is actually practical or just a pretty picture.
April Holmes, March 4, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Ikanow: Creating Pathways through Information
March 1, 2012
We learned about an interesting open source player called Ikanow. One of my colleagues pronounced it, “I can know.” Sounded good to me. You can get information about the firm’s solutions for “agile intelligence.” You can apply for a free trial of the open analytics system the company offers.
The purpose of this short item is to highlight a story from the Ikanow blog, “Enabling Reasoning from Unstructured and Structured Data.” The write up explains how the Ikanow system can deliver useful insights via the firm’s analytics system. This passage caught my attention:
entities and events were built up from the available structured metadata to create more complex structures. This allows us to bridge the information with unstructured news reporting in order to look for trends or events in the data. The examples below illustrate some of types of visualizations that were generated in this example.
The company has positioned itself at the intersection of two hot trends in content processing: analytics based on entities and visualization which cause the important points to pop.
Here’s how the company is positioning its Infinit.e solution:
At IKANOW, we have created an environment that supports Open Analytics, a new process for enabling and deploying rapid innovation in the analytic market space. We start by providing a culture that supports the concept and by providing tools and techniques that enable innovation to occur on the edges of the technology; we believe this puts the power of true analytics in the hands of the people who require it, rather than relying on licensing models and proprietary interfaces or closed innovation, which ultimately prohibits overall innovation expansion. Our team understands there is no out-of-the-box solution to satisfy all analytic needs, and a new way of thinking about the problem is needed. Unlike structured enterprise search, unstructured ‘Beyond Search’ analytics is research-driven intelligence based on unknowns. Agile Intelligence is an approach that addresses many of the analyst enablement impediments experienced today by incorporating Agile Scrum software development practices into the analytic domain.
Worth an agile look.
Stephen E Arnold, March 1, 2012 (published at about 1100 Eastern time for )
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Lost in Dataspace? CA Erwin Can Help
February 24, 2012
Intuitive graphics and a search that looks like Google. That’s what CA Technologies proscribes for the non-techies who are being plunged into the cloud, ReadWriteWeb reveals in “Data Visualization for People Who Don’t Visualize Data: CA ERwin 8.2.” ERwin is a database visualization tool which has been evolving since 1998.
Writer Scott M. Fulton, III maintains that the moving of data from SQL databases to cloud storage has many organizations reexamining their data structure. ERWin’s Web portal can help business users better understand what they are looking at. The article relates:
[CA Technologies’ Donna] Burbank agrees that data modeling may never be appealing to 100% of the ‘sponsor’ audience [of database administrators]. But making it appeal to a somewhat greater audience through more intuitive graphics, along with Google-like search, could go a long way toward enabling those tasked with new responsibilities to be able to better understand what they are, and carry them out with a greater sense of confidence.
But will that confidence be misplaced? More consumerization is all well and good, but what happens if the underlying data do not meet standard tests for validity?
CA Technologies has been building IT management software for over 30 years. They pride themselves on providing agile solutions to business and government organizations in nearly every nation.
Cynthia Murrell, February 24, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Why Does Dassault Need Netvibes?
February 23, 2012
Enterprise Irregulars reports, “Cloud Wars Heating up: Oracle : Taleo, Dassault Systèmes : Netvibes.” Writer Michael Fauscette examines the potential impact of two recent acquisitions. Oracle has snapped up the cloud-based employee management vendor Taleo, while Dassault Systèmes has bought Netvibes, a dashboard specialist.
Most eyes are on the much larger Oracle-Taleo deal, and the article thoroughly explores that development. However, Fauscette is more interested in the smaller matter of Dassault and Netvibes. We are, too. The write up notes:
“I think this acquisition is an interesting tell to a strategic move by Dassault to reposition as a broader innovation platform. Today Dassault is securely positioned in the product engineering and manufacturing world, but product development is under pressure to become more social and to drive more innovation.”
We’re confused. We thought that Dassault property Exalead offered social-compatible dashboard functionality. Is there an issue with existing technology? Or is Dassault doing the IBM dance of just buying stuff and hoping revenue will follow? Perhaps Inforbix, an ArnoldIT client, is putting pressure on the old-line French firm? Instead of innovating, Dassault is doing what ageing companies do to get new ideas: Buy them. More may be needed. Inforbix’ technology is quite promising and, in my opinion, truly innovative.
Cynthia Murrell, February 23, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Autonomy: Ready to Disrupt Again
February 17, 2012
When Hewlett-Packard (HP) purchased the enterprise software company Autonomy for a hefty 10.3 billion last August, the world was left wondering what would come of this new partnership. While HP has the hardware, Autonomy’s unique software allows enterprises to provide insight and structure to electronic data, including unstructured information, such as text, email, web pages, voice, or video.
Now, six months after the acquisition, word has broken and Business Insider’s Julie Bort has written “HP Finally Explains Its Big Plans for its $10 Billion Purchase, Autonomy” which shares some of the new products that HP has planned for Autonomy.
According to the article, HP is working on several hardware appliances that will power enterprise search and ideally out compete Google’s Search Appliance. HP also unveiled a new Autonomy video application.
In addition to this, Bort writes:
“HP is working on mobile Autonomy applications that will let you view images of physical world objects such as a movie poster and interact with them online. That’s nothing special, as lots of companies are working on similar technology, known as “augmented reality.” But this type of thing hasn’t gone mainstream yet, so there’s plenty of room for a big player like HP to own it if it ever does.”
While HP many not be using Autonomy to create the most innovative products right off the bat, HP’s extensive resources and purchasing power paired with Autonomy’s software make a duo that will be difficult to compete with.
Jasmine Ashton, February 17, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
Another Take on Visual SharePoint
February 16, 2012
We noted the excellent article “How to Do Visual Best Bets for Built In SharePoint Search”. Mikael Svenson has done a very good job of explaining the details of an earlier article about best bets (content which may of interest to a user) enhancements to SharePoint FS4SP.
Users find useful suggestions and content flagged as having particular relevance to a query. The suggestions in many systems are in the form of “facets” or highlighted results. Busy users can scan the results list and note the suggestions. A visual component can make it even easier for a SharePoint user to spot potentially useful content.
We learned from Mr. Svenson:
Visual Best Bets is a feature of FAST Search for SharePoint which lets you point to a file with html content to be displayed above your search results. For example an image, Silverlight or flash content can be used to graphically enhance what is linked to the keyword term. The Visual Web Part uses an iframe to accomplish this and loads up your content inside the iframe. This is useful as you can easily edit the html file at will. But why go the extra mile for a separate file, or opt in for FS4SP for this feature? The Best Bet web part support the showing of keywords and keyword definitions. Keyword definitions are formatted as html. And a definition with html formatting is in effect a Visual Best Bet. (If you have more than one Visual Best Bet you want to assign to the keyword you would have to add them all to the same html for this to work.)
We agree, and we want to add that there are numerous other options available to a SharePoint licensee. These range from the integration of visual displays from Microsoft-certified third party developers to custom code. One company with some interesting technologies is Nevron. The firm’s components can convert a SharePoint page into an advanced dashboard or a report. The user no longer looks at a results list. With Nevron-type technology, the user sees a report which answers a specific business question.
At Search Technologies, the technical team can implement FS4SP via PowerShell or other system, integrate third party components, or develop a customized solution to meet a SharePoint licensee’s specific needs. To learn more about Search Technologies’ customization and FS4SP services, navigate to the Search Technologies’ Web site.
Iain Fletcher, February 16, 2012
Sponsored by Pandia.com
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