Emergent Structure in Analytic Workspaces: Design and Use of the Visual Knowledge Builder

People use visual and spatial cues when sharing information in a workspace, be it physical or virtual. Characteristics of the information and the space, as well as the tools available for manipulation of the information alter the communicative practices that emerge during a collaborative task. The Visual Knowledge Builder (VKB) is a visual information workspace supporting the collection, organization, and annotation of information. VKB emphasizes the emergent nature of information spaces. This emphasis has led to the inclusion of navigable history, a spatial parser for recognizing emergent visual structures, and mechanisms for integrating information from a variety of sources and media types. Use of VKB for note taking, project and conference management, and writing underscores the value of supporting lightweight interpretation in information systems.