ACoVE: Analysts Cognitive Visualization Environment

Technology improvements continue to result in massive increases in data collection and repository sizes causing ever increasing big data volumes.Research shows that it is easy to bury users in even small amounts of data when it is presented out of a meaningful context. General representations like data lists put the burden on the user to transform data into meaningful contexts.This results in unnecessary consumption of analysts time and missed mission value. Current operational practice forces analysts to query for data to begin their workflow.This assumption is fundamentally flawed, as it assumes the user knows what is important prior to conducting the analysis.A decision-centered system design is needed that optimizes the users ability to process large amounts of data effectively.The proposed methodology, proven in Phase I, uses a functional cognitive work analysis to determine the abstract mission contexts that provide meaning to the analyst.Advanced representational techniques present information as simple, intuitive cognitive visualizations.The perceived information fits naturally with the way people think about their domain.A set of cognitive visualizations are needed to fully cover the analysts work scope.These visualizations must be integrated into a coordinated, decision centered workspace: ACoVE.