Software for systematic and imaginative exploration

This paper describes a software system that has been designed to enhance individual creativity. It was once thought that the era of information visualization would empower people and enable a democratization of visual thinking. Today, many barriers to this democratization still exist. The software, called cogito, is designed from the perspective that it is possible, with appropriate support, to meaningfully explore a very large set of alternatives without becoming overwhelmed. This paper discusses the design choices made for the software, the architecture of the system, and the experience gained in a variety of applications. Author Keywords Interaction, training, creativity, software design ACM Classification Keywords H5.2. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): Interaction styles (e.g., commands, menus, forms, direct manipulation); Training, help, and documentation

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2007
• Where: CANDC
• Authors: Daryl H. Hepting
• Keywords: ACM Classification Keywords, Author Keywords Interaction, CANDC 2007, Democratization, Emerging Technology