Now showing 1 - 10 of 57
  • Publication
    A Visual Approach for Developing Social Enterprises
    The emerging interest in social entrepreneurship is challenged in practice by the complexity of balancing economic and social aspects, and by the difficulties of getting the public to understand the very concept of social enterprising. How can we support social entrepreneurs in developing and growing their organizations? The cognitive advantages of thinking and working visually are well established in the literature, but not yet applied to guide the entire social enterprising process. Mapping and communicating ideas visually can provide several benefits, not only in the ideation phase, but also for managing, optimizing, and growing a social enterprise. We present a framework with visual formats that can be utilized by social entrepreneurs in each specific phase of the social enterprise development: (1) idea generation, (2) social enterprise model refinement, (3) idea promotion and resources acquisition, (4) planning, (5) sales and instructions, (6) scaling impact, and (7) measuring and monitoring. At a theoretical level, the framework aims to structure and summarize the benefits of visual representations of knowledge for the field of social entrepreneurship. This visual approach has practical applications for social entrepreneurs who can utilize it as an overarching tool, for an informed selection and use of visualizations to support the development of their social ventures.
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  • Publication
    Visual Replay Methodology: A Mixed Methods Approach for Group Discussion Analysis
    In this article, we propose an innovative mixed methods research (MMR) technique and discuss its theory and applications. The visual replay methodology (VRM) is a new graphic way to investigate the discourse patterns during software-aided small group discussions. A visually supported conversation is recorded through screen capturing and replayed to reconstruct how the discussion has unfolded. The VRM responds to the “integration challenge” that the MMR community is facing—by employing the power of visualization, data integration is leveraged to a new level, where visual synergy gains enable a “value-added” research outcome. By employing multigenre integration and a moderately pragmatic approach, the VRM reduces the researcher–subject power-relation gap and contributes to some long-standing MMR debates regarding reflexivity and participation.
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    Scopus© Citations 12
  • Publication
    The collaborative dimensions of argument maps: A socio-visual approach
    This paper examines the collaborative use of visual argument maps in the context of argument production in organizations. Argument maps are highly multimodal, as their use involves the combination of diagrams, text elements, as well as spoken statements. In this theoretical piece, we apply a Collaborative Dimensions framework to argument maps that can be used to better design, understand, evaluate, and use argument maps in collaborative settings for decision making purposes. Specifically, our conceptual framework – derived from interdisciplinary perspectives – takes into consideration how the visual dimensions of argument maps have a bearing on the social interactions of people involved in a complex argumentation process. We posit that cognitive dimensions of argument maps need to be enriched with additional communicative and collaborative dimensions in order to foster a more widespread adoption of argument mapping in organizational decision making. In our socio-visual approach to argument mapping, we thus distinguish the following seven dimensions: Visual Insight, Outcome Clarity, Directed Focus, Perceived Finishedness, Visual Appeal, Content Modifiability, and Collaboration Support. We illustrate the use of the framework as an evaluation tool and analyze three different approaches to argument mapping with the help of the seven dimensions. In this way, the framework can be used to improve collaborative argument mapping. Our contribution thus lies in proposing an interdisciplinary and theoretically grounded set of factors to augment the quality of argument maps, both from a process and a results perspective. In this manner we hope to contribute to the theory of argumentation through the rich notion of “collaborative dimensions,” as well as further the practice of collaborative argument production through a more reflective and systematic use of interactive argument visualization.
  • Publication
    We walk the line: Icons provisional appearances on virtual whiteboards trigger elaborative dialogue and creativity
    Collaborative groupwork is a key creativity tool in industry. Digital Creativity Support Systems (CSS) have become a critical catalyst of distributed creative processes. Under laboratory conditions, this interaction design study uses an experiment to investigate the impact of apparent icon finishedness as a social affordance for elaborative dialogue, and enhanced creativity. The experiment examines the idea generation processes of 37 pairs of active managers using a synchronous CSS. Apparent finishedness is a purely presentational factor - it is completely separate from the actual substance of an idea. The results show that presenting ideas with icons made of sketchy natural lines with low perceived finishedness encourages elaborative dialogue and creativity. Low perceived finishedness icons functioned as a social affordance - they afforded the social behaviour of building upon each other’s ideas as well as more creative idea generation. This is the first study to quantitatively examine the perceived finishedness of icons. This study shows that minor changes in visual treatments significantly impact creative processes and outcomes. As co-constructive interaction is central to many collaborative behaviours across working and learning, this study has clear implications for the subtle encouragement of co-construction in computer-mediated communication.
    Scopus© Citations 14
  • Publication
    Understanding the Impact of Visual Representation Restrictiveness on Experience Sharing: an Experimental Assessment
    This study investigates the effects of the restrictiveness of visuals on the communication process and outcome in small groups. Visual restrictiveness is conceived as the constraints imposed by a graphic template on the process of knowledge work. Through an experiment with ninety six experienced professionals we test the impact of a medium and a high level of visual restrictiveness compared to a control condition. As predicted, the results show that a medium level of visual restrictiveness, embodied in a grid layout, leads to higher experience sharing effectiveness. The impact is mediated by the structural pattern of appropriation of the interactive graphical template (assessed with content analysis). The implications of this study include extending the benefits and applications of visual representations to support group communication and the development (and testing) of the concept of visual restrictiveness.
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    Scopus© Citations 8
  • Publication
    Knowledge Scaffolding Visualizations: a Guiding Framework
    (Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, 2015-03-03) ; ;
    In this paper we provide a guiding framework for understanding and selecting visual representations in the knowledge management (KM) practice. We build on an interdisciplinary analogy between two connotations of the notion of "scaffolding": physical scaffolding from an architectural-engineering perspective and scaffolding of the "everyday knowing in practice" from a KM perspective. We classify visual structures for knowledge communication in teams into four types of scaffolds: grounded (corresponding e.g., to perspectives diagrams or dynamic facilitation diagrams), suspended (e.g., negotiation sketches, argument maps), panel (e.g., roadmaps or timelines) and reinforcing (e.g., concept diagrams). The article concludes with a set of recommendations in the form of questions to ask whenever practitioners are choosing visualizations for specific KM needs. Our recommendations aim at providing a framework at a broad-brush level to aid choosing a suitable visualization template depending on the type of KM endeavour.
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    Extending Tam to Information Visualization: A Framework for Evaluation
    (Academic Conferences Limited, 2015-01-01) ;
    Studies on the evaluation of information visualization techniques are flourishing, and related methodologies have been discussed in a growing number of recent studies. Yet, these evaluations concentrate mostly on usability measures and cognitive evaluations. In contrast, this contribution focuses on the various factors that drive the adoption of information visualization techniques. The Technology Acceptance Model and the Diffusion of Innovations theory are deployed to develop a framework for evaluating information visualization adoption. These seminal theories are extended and adapted to Information Visualization, resulting into a framework with three main dimensions: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived authority. The application of this theoretically-based evaluation framework is illustrated through positive and negative examples. As many visualization solutions have not achieved a wide use, the question of which factors foster their adoption seems to be a particularly relevant yet under-researched topic.
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    The Pitfalls of Visual Representations: A Review and Classification of Common Errors Made while Designing and Interpreting Visualizations
    (Sage Publ., 2015-10-14) ;
    A large body of research has addressed the benefits of visualization, whereas the analysis of the pitfalls has not received systematic attention. We aim to provide an overview of the common pitfalls and potential disadvantages of visual representations based on a multidisciplinary literature review. Subsequently, we develop a theoretically grounded classification of common cognitive, emotional, and social risks of visualization and populate it with a comprehensive list of visualization pitfalls. The aim of this research is not to diminish the potential of visualization, but rather to improve visual literacy by structuring our understanding of the possible limitations of graphic representations.
    Scopus© Citations 61
  • Publication
    Slip-Sliding-Away: A Review of the Literature on the Constraining Qualities of PowerPoint
    PowerPoint is a dominant communication tool in business and education. It allows for creating professional-looking presentations easily, but without understanding its constraining qualities it can be used inappropriately. Therefore we conducted a systematic literature review structuring the literature on PowerPoint in three chronological phases (Early Criticism, Heated Debate, and Scientific Take-Off) and identifying 18 constraining qualities classified into three categories: cognitive, emotional, and social. This article provides implications for educators' and practitioners' use (and nonuse) of PowerPoint through synthesis and description of such constraining qualities. Directions for future research are developed by identifying theoretical gaps in literature on PowerPoint.
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    Scopus© Citations 30
  • Publication
    The Use of Visualization in the Communication of Business Strategies: An Experimental Evaluation
    An experiment was conducted to gather empirical evidence regarding whether the use of visualization is better than text in the communication of a business strategy. A total of 76 managers saw a presentation of the strategy of the financial services branch of an international car manufacturer. The visual representation of the strategy was chosen as the independent variable, and the effects on the audience were measured. Three types of visual support were chosen as conditions: bulleted list, visual metaphor, and temporal diagram. Each subject saw one representation format only. Subjects who were exposed to a graphic representation of the strategy paid significantly more attention to, agreed more with, and better recalled the strategy than did subjects who saw a (textually identical) bulleted list version. However, no significant difference was found regarding the understanding of the strategy. Subjects who were exposed to a graphic representation of the strategy perceived the presentation and the presenter significantly more positively than did those who received the presentation through a bulleted list.
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    Scopus© Citations 29