Event-based text visual analytics

We present an event-based approach for solving a directed sensemaking task in which we combine powerful information foraging tools with intuitive synthesis spaces to solve the VAST Challenge 2014 Mini-Challenge 1. A combination of student-created and commericially available software are used to solve various aspects of the scenario. In addition to applying entitiy extraction and topic modelling, we enable the user to explore a large dataset using multi-model semantic interaction, which infers analytical reasoning from user actions to augment the data spatialization and determine what information should be presented and suggested to the user. Additionally, we visualize extracted topics using Tableau to construct a timeline of events surrounding the questions posed by the challenge.