Graphical Interfaces for Simulation

The dynamic graphical display of the state of complex systems has immense potential value for mediating the development of richer understandings of process as well as for providing more effective mechanisms of interaction. For the past few years we have been involved in the development of a set of software tools to assist in the construction of interfaces to simulations and real-time systems. These tools have been used extensively in the development of an interactive inspectable simulation-based instructional system, Steamer. Underlying our efforts are three interrelated research activities: formulating a theory of interface design, understanding the effectiveness of interactive graphical representational systems, and implementing systems based on these developing theoretical notions. The dialectic between these activities has been very valuable for us as cognitive scientists and as system builders. In this chapter, we survey some of the presuppositions of our approach to interface design, describe the tools we have built to assist in the construction of graphical interfaces, and discuss the conclusions we have drawn from our experiences in graphical interface design. (Author)