nSpace and GeoTime: A VAST 2006 Case Study

The nSpace and GeoTime visual analytic tools enable investigation and understanding of complex, ambiguous situations. nSpace is a system of systems supporting the whole analytic workflow. GeoTime provides insight into events and behaviors in time and space. Junior analysts used the analytic capabilities that these tools support to investigate the 2006 Visual Analytics Science and Technology contest data set and to produce an intelligence assessment report. Their work won first place in the corporate category. This article is a detailed case study describing how the nSpace and GeoTime tools created an analytical environment that enabled two novice analysts to examine a scenario, discover patterns, trace connections, assess evidence, visually represent meaningful hypotheses with associated evidence, track progress, collaborate with others, and then produce a final report. nSpace and GeoTime are developed in collaboration with analysts to support the investigation of large and complex multidimensional data sets.