MAS 965: Social Visualization Large-scale persistent conversations

Professor Judith Donath

readings

essays and sketches

Large scale persistent conversations such as newsgroups and bulletin boards are a new communication medium. They make it possible for people from all over the world to engage in conversations on a variety of topics. Yet, the textual media that makes them so accessible also makes many useful and communicative social patterns invisible. This week we will think about ways of visualizing these conversations.

Their two key features - that they are large-scale and persistant - should guide your work. A: there are lots of people involved. How can the visualization help to differentiate among them and highlight their different roles? B: Their activity is writing text and this text becomes the foundation and setting for subsequent interaction within the group. How can the visualization show both the structure of the accumulated text and the activity that occurs upon it?

This assignment is due Monday. Please submit your work online. If you have any problems with doing so, send email to Fernanda Viegas fviegas@media.mit.edu