Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2017 - IAT 854 G200

Visually Enabled Reasoning (3)

Class Number: 9548

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 4 – Apr 7, 2017: Tue, 12:30–1:20 p.m.
    Surrey

    Jan 4 – Apr 7, 2017: Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Surrey

  • Prerequisites:

    Registered graduate students from the School of Interactive Arts and Technology, or with permission of the instructor.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Explores how interactive visual interfaces can help to shape human cognitive processes. It combines the study of visually-enabled reasoning as a cognitive science and the use of interactive visualization technologies such as IN-SPIRE, Starlight, and Jigsaw as well as conventional statistical and mathematical analysis tools that support human cognitive processes.

COURSE DETAILS:

Interactive visual information systems are increasingly used to support human analysis and decision making. Areas as diverse as engineering, health, finance and policy making can benefit from a “science of analytical reasoning facilitated by the interactive visual interface”. The use of these in analysis call for new standards for evidence, criteria for proof, and methods for building agreement about policies, plans and methods by which they can be implemented. An analytics of the visual image will include aspects of cognitive, perceptual and social sciences, computational and mathematical approaches to implementation of analytic technologies to support human cognitive processes, and a new body of design knowledge.

This course explores how interactive visual interfaces can help to shape human cognitive processes. It combines the study of visually-enabled reasoning as a cognitive science and the use of interactive visualization technologies such as IN-SPIRE, Starlight, and Jigsaw as well as conventional statistical and mathematical analysis tools that support human cognitive processes. The course is intended to build common ground for collaboration on visual analytics for students in a range of disciplines. Students will present and discuss original research methods and findings from the literature (e.g. the IEEE Conference on Visual Analytics Science and Technology) and from their own work. The expectation is that students will engage in critical discussion of concepts and approaches that are utilized in visual analytics and related research areas.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  • Understand core research issues, methodologies, and findings in the cognitive science of human analytic processes
  • Learn practical analytic reasoning skills facilitated by visual analytic information systems
  • Prepare focused write-ups of analytic processes that integrate and advance cognitive science theories and methods

Grading

  • Final Paper 50%
  • Visual Analytics journal 20%
  • Participation in paper discussions 20%
  • Analytics exercise 10%

NOTES:

The seminar component will focus on discussion of issues and methods in the emerging science of human reasoning with interactive visual information systems. In the practicum students will work as individual analysts and in teams addressing analytic problems (e.g. from SEMVAST) using advanced visual analysis tools. Students will journal their analysis activities. They will write a final paper that integrates the seminar and practicum components of the course.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

J. Thomas and K. Cook, Illuminating the Path, a R&D Agenda for Visual Analytics, online 

Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. R. J. Heuer, CIA

Analytic Pathologies, J. Cooper

RECOMMENDED READING:

Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis by Richards J. Heuer, Randolph H. Pherson and John McLaughlin

Causal Models: How People Think about the World and Its Alternatives. S. Sloman, Oxford Press

Human Reasoning and Cognitive Science. Keith Stenning & Michiel van Lambalgen, MIT Press

How We Reason. Philip Johnson-Laird, Oxford Press

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS