Visualization: Time To Take On Text Interfaces?

The Information Workplace is evolving to deliver an increasing amount of content to the worker's desktop. This creates a dilemma: Traditional text-based methods for searching, displaying, and interacting with information are challenged to keep pace with a person's need to quickly scan, interpret, and act on contextually relevant information. Current user interface (UI) methods that use taxonomic drill-downs, breadcrumbs, and search histories are becoming less efficient and outmoded as information relationships become more complex. Over the next three to five years, visualization will supplement and replace current UI methods. Specifically, traditional row and column layouts will be replaced with spatially oriented clusters of information where lines will depict data relationships and workflow, and the screen will respond dynamically to the user's interactions in real time. Enterprise architects and information and knowledge management professionals must adapt to this opportunity and the demands these new visual tools will place on both IT and the business. While not a new idea, visualization approaches will achieve broad appeal and widespread adoption within five years.