1. ^aPacific Northwest National Laboratory, PO Box 999, MSIN K7-28, Richland, WA 99352, USA
2. ^bGeorgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30334, USA
3. ^cUniversity of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 28223, USA
4. ^dNational Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA

Correspondence: William A Pike, E-mail: william.pike@pnl.gov

Received 27 May 2009; Revised 7 July 2009; Accepted 7 July 2009.

Abstract

There is a growing recognition within the visual analytics community that interaction and inquiry are inextricable. It is through the interactive manipulation of a visual interface – the analytic discourse – that knowledge is constructed, tested, refined and shared. This article reflects on the interaction challenges raised in the visual analytics research and development agenda and further explores the relationship between interaction and cognition. It identifies recent exemplars of visual analytics research that have made substantive progress toward the goals of a true science of interaction, which must include theories and testable premises about the most appropriate mechanisms for human–information interaction. Seven areas for further work are highlighted as those among the highest priorities for the next 5 years of visual analytics research: ubiquitous, embodied interaction; capturing user intentionality; knowledge-based interfaces; collaboration; principles of design and perception; interoperability; and interaction evaluation. Ultimately, the goal of a science of interaction is to support the visual analytics and human–computer interaction communities through the recognition and implementation of best practices in the representation and manipulation of visual displays.