Cooperative, computer-aided design of scientific visualizations

Partial automation of the task of designing graphical displays that effectively depict the data to be visualized through cooperative computer-aided design (CCAD) is described. This paradigm combines the strengths of manual and automated design by interspersing guiding design operations by the human user with the exploration of design alternatives by the computer. The approach is demonstrated in the context of the IVE design system, a CCAD environment for the design of scientific visualizations using a set of design rules that combine primitive visualization components in different ways. These alternatives are presented graphically to the user, who can browse through them, select the most promising visualization, and refine it manually