Science of Analytical Reasoning

There has been progress in the science of analytical reasoning and in meeting the recommendations for future research that were laid out when the field of visual analytics was established. Researchers have also developed a group of visual analytics tools and methods that embody visual analytics principles and attack important and challenging real world problems. However, these efforts are only the beginning and much work remains to be done. This paper examines the state of the art in visual analytics methods and reasoning and gives examples of current tools and capabilities. It demonstrates that the science of visual analytics needs interdisciplinarity, indicates some of the disciplines that should be involved, and presents an approach to how they might work together. Finally, the paper describes some gaps, opportunities, and future directions in developing new theories and models, enacting them in methods and design principles, and applying the resulting tools to significant and complex practical problems and data.