Using a Task Classification in the Visualisation Design Process for Task Understanding and Abstraction: an Empirical Study

Abstract

Task classifications are widely purported to be useful in the design process, with various suggestions having been made for their use at the different stages. However, little has been written regarding the actual use of task classifications in these design scenarios or reflection on the success (or otherwise) of employing them in this respect. In this paper we explore the use of a task classification at the task understanding and abstraction stages of the design process. Specifically, we use a task classification to overcome some of the known problems of eliciting tasks from domain experts during requirements gathering and as a lexicon for task abstraction. Our initial findings suggest that using a task classification helps domain experts to articulate tasks which they may not otherwise have identified. Using a task classification for task abstraction allowed us to characterise tasks in a consistent manner and organise them to establish the most commonly occurring and important tasks.