After more than two decades, bullying and cyberbullying is still negatively impacting the lives of many of our youth and their families. The prevalence of the phenomenon is widespread and part of the everyday life activities. The impact of cyber aggression and violation can have severe consequences, up to the destruction of lives. While cyberbullying prevention programs exist, not much progress seems to have been made in the effort to combat the phenomenon. This research provides new insights into how to extract information by using existing research and online news articles, with the aim to create new or improve existing cyberbullying prevention efforts. The intent is to inform prevention programs.

Diaries are private documentations of people’s lives. They contain descriptions of events, thoughts, fears, and desires. While diaries are usually kept in private, published ones, such as the diary of Anne Frank, show that they bear the potential to give personal insight into events and into the emotional impact on their authors. We present a visualization tool that provides insight into the Bergen-Belsen memorial’s diary corpus, which consists of dozens of diaries written by concentration camp prisoners. We designed a calendar view that documents when authors wrote about concentration camp life. Different modes support quantitative and sentiment analyses, and we provide a solution for historians to create thematic concepts that can be used for searching and filtering for specific diary entries. The usage scenarios illustrate the importance of the tool for researchers and memorial visitors as well as for commemorating the Holocaust.

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The Multiset Sampler [Leman et al., 2009] has previously been deployed and developed for efficient sampling from complex stochastic processes. We extend the sampler and the surrounding theory to model selection problems. In such problems efficient exploration of the model space becomes a challenge since independent and ad-hoc proposals might not be able to jointly propose multiple parameter sets which correctly explain a new pro- posed model. In order to overcome this we propose a multiset on the model space to en- able efficient exploration of multiple model modes with almost no tuning. The Multiset Model Selection (MSMS) framework is based on independent priors for the parameters and model indicators on variables. We show that posterior model probabilities can be easily obtained from multiset averaged posterior model probabilities in MSMS. We also obtain typical Bayesian model averaged estimates for the parameters from MSMS. We apply our algorithm to linear regression where it allows easy moves between parame- ter modes of different models, and in probit regression where it allows jumps between widely varying model specific covariance structures in the latent space of a hierarchical model. The Storytelling algorithm [Kumar et al., 2006] constructs stories by discovering and con- necting latent connections between documents in a network. Such automated algorithms often do not agree with user's mental map of the data. Hence systems that incorporate feedback through visual interaction from the user are of immediate importance. We pro- pose a visual analytic framework in which such interactions are naturally incorporated in to the existing Storytelling algorithm through a redefinition of the latent topic space used in the similarity measure of the network. The document network can be explored us- ing the newly learned normalized topic weights for each document. Hence our algorithm augments the limitations of human sensemaking capabilities in large document networks by providing a collaborative framework between the underlying model and the user. Our formulation of the problem is a supervised topic modeling problem where the supervi- sion is based on relationships imposed by the user as a set of inequalities derived from tolerances on edge costs from inverse shortest path problem. We show a probabilistic modeling of the relationships based on auxiliary variables and propose a Gibbs sampling based strategy. We provide detailed results from a simulated data and the Atlantic Storm data set. / Ph. D.

Sensemaking tasks, such as reading many news articles to determine the truthfulness of a given claim, are difficult. These tasks require a series of iterative steps to first forage for relevant information and then synthesize this information into a final hypothesis. To assist with such tasks, visual analytics systems provide interactive visualizations of data to enable faster, more accurate, or more thorough analyses. For example, semantic interaction techniques leverage natural or intuitive interactions, like highlighting text, to automatically update the visualization parameters using machine learning. However, this process of using machine learning based on user interaction is not yet well defined. We begin our research efforts by developing a computational pipeline that models and captures how a system processes semantic interactions. We then expanded this model to denote specifically how each component of the pipeline supports steps of the Sensemaking Process. Additionally, we recognized a cognitive symmetry in how analysts consider data items (like news articles) and their attributes (such as terms that appear within the articles). To support this symmetry, we also modeled how to visualize and interact with data items and their attributes simultaneously. We built a testbed system and conducted a user study to determine which analytic tasks are best supported by such symmetry. Then, we augmented the testbed system to scale up to large data using semantic interaction foraging, a method for automated foraging based on user interaction. This experience enabled our development of design challenges and a corresponding future research agenda centered on semantic interaction foraging. We began investigating this research agenda by conducting a second user study on when to apply semantic interaction foraging to better match the analyst's Sensemaking Process. / Doctor of Philosophy / Sensemaking tasks such as determining the truthfulness of a claim using news articles are complex, requiring a series of steps in which the relevance of each piece of information within the articles is first determined. Relevant pieces of information are then combined together until a conclusion may be reached regarding the truthfulness of the claim. To help with these tasks, interactive visualizations of data can make it easier or faster to find or combine information together. In this research, we focus on leveraging natural or intuitive interactions, such organizing documents in a 2-D space, which the system uses to perform machine learning to automatically adjust the visualization to better support the given task. We first model how systems perform such machine learning based on interaction as well as model how each component of the system supports the user's sensemaking task. Additionally, we developed a model and accompanying testbed system for simultaneously evaluating both data items (like news articles) and their attributes (such as terms within the articles) through symmetrical visualization and interaction methods. With this testbed system, we devised and conducted a user study to determine which types of tasks are supported or hindered by such symmetry. We then combined these models to build an additional testbed system that implemented a searching technique to automatically add previously unseen, relevant pieces of information to the visualization. Using our experience in implementing this automated searching technique, we defined design challenges to guide future implementations, along with a research agenda to refine the technique. We also devised and conducted another user study to determine when such automated searching should be triggered to best support the user's sensemaking task.

Human-AI interaction can improve overall performance, exceeding the performance that either humans or AI could achieve separately, thus producing a whole greater than the sum of the parts. Visual analytics enables collaboration between humans and AI through interactive visual interfaces. Semantic interaction is a design methodology to enhance visual analytics systems for sensemaking tasks. It is widely applied for sensemaking in high-stakes domains such as intelligence analysis and academic research. However, existing semantic interaction systems support collaboration between humans and traditional machine learning models only; they do not apply state-of-the-art deep learning techniques. The contribution of this work is the effective integration of deep neural networks into visual analytics systems with semantic interaction. More specifically, I explore how to redesign the semantic interaction pipeline to enable collaboration between human and deep learning models for sensemaking tasks. First, I validate that semantic interaction systems with pre-trained deep learning better support sensemaking than existing semantic interaction systems with traditional machine learning. Second, I integrate interactive deep learning into the semantic interaction pipeline to enhance inference ability in capturing analysts' precise intents, thereby promoting sensemaking. Third, I add semantic explanation into the pipeline to interpret the interactively steered deep learning model. With a clear understanding of DL, analysts can make better decisions. Finally, I present a neural design of the semantic interaction pipeline to further boost collaboration between humans and deep learning for sensemaking. / Doctor of Philosophy / Human AI interaction can harness the separate strengths of human and machine intelligence to accomplish tasks neither can solve alone. Analysts are good at making high-level hypotheses and reasoning from their domain knowledge. AI models are better at data computation based on low-level input features. Successful human-AI interactions can perform real-world, high-stakes tasks, such as issuing medical diagnoses, making credit assessments, and determining cases of discrimination. Semantic interaction is a visual methodology providing intuitive communications between analysts and traditional machine learning models. It is commonly utilized to enhance visual analytics systems for sensemaking tasks, such as intelligence analysis and scientific research. The contribution of this work is to explore how to use semantic interaction to achieve collaboration between humans and state-of-the-art deep learning models for complex sensemaking tasks. To do this, I first evaluate the straightforward solution of integrating the pretrained deep learning model into the traditional semantic interaction pipeline. Results show that the deep learning representation matches human cognition better than hand engineering features via semantic interaction. Next, I look at methods for supporting semantic interaction systems with interactive and interpretable deep learning. The new pipeline provides effective communication between human and deep learning models. Interactive deep learning enables the system to better capture users' intents. Interpretable deep learning lets users have a clear understanding of models. Finally, I improve the pipeline to better support collaboration using a neural design. I hope this work can contribute to future designs for the human-in-the-loop analysis with deep learning and visual analytics techniques.

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Acquérir et traiter des données est de moins en moins coûteux, à la fois en matériel et en temps, mais encore faut-il pouvoir les analyser et les interpréter malgré leur complexité. La dimensionnalité est un des aspects de cette complexité intrinsèque. Pour aider à interpréter et à appréhender ces données le recours à la visualisation est indispensable au cours du processus d’analyse. La projection représente les données sous forme d’un nuage de points 2D, indépendamment du nombre de dimensions. Cependant cette technique de visualisation souffre de distorsions dues à la réduction de dimension, ce qui pose des problèmes d’interprétation et de confiance. Peu d’études ont été consacrées à la considération de l’impact de ces artefacts, ainsi qu’à la façon dont des utilisateurs non-familiers de ces techniques peuvent analyser visuellement une projection. L’approche soutenue dans cette thèse repose sur la prise en compte interactive des artefacts, afin de permettre à des analystes de données ou des non-experts de réaliser de manière fiable les tâches d’analyse visuelle des projections. La visualisation interactive des proximités colore la projection en fonction des proximités d’origine par rapport à une donnée de référence dans l’espace des données. Cette technique permet interactivement de révéler les artefacts de projection pour aider à appréhender les détails de la structure sous-jacente aux données. Dans cette thèse, nous revisitons la conception de cette technique et présentons ses apports au travers de deux expérimentations contrôlées qui étudient l’impact des artefacts sur l’analyse visuelle des projections. Nous présentons également une étude de l’espace de conception d’une technique basée sur la métaphore de lentille et visant à s’affranchir localement des problématiques d’artefacts de projection. / The cost of data acquisition and processing has radically decreased in both material and time. But we also need to analyze and interpret the large amounts of complex data that are stored. Dimensionality is one aspect of their intrinsic complexity. Visualization is essential during the analysis process to help interpreting and understanding these data. Projection represents data as a 2D scatterplot, regardless the amount of dimensions. However, this visualization technique suffers from artifacts due to the dimensionality reduction. Its lack of reliability implies issues of interpretation and trust. Few studies have been devoted to the consideration of the impact of these artifacts, and especially to give feedbacks on how non-expert users can visually analyze projections. The main approach of this thesis relies on an taking these artifacts into account using interactive techniques, in order to allow data scientists or non-expert users to perform a trustworthy visual analysis of projections. The interactive visualization of the proximities applies a coloring of the original proximities relatives to a reference in the data-space. This interactive technique allows revealing projection artifacts in order to help grasping details of the underlying data-structure. In this thesis, we redesign this technique and we demonstrate its potential by presenting two controlled experiments studying the impact of artifacts on the visual analysis of projections. We also present a design-space based on the lens metaphor, in order to improve this technique and to locally visualize a projection free of artifacts issues.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2017-06-27T13:53:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Glauber Cini_.pdf: 2121004 bytes, checksum: c1f55ddc527cdaeb7ae3c224baea727a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-27T13:53:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Glauber Cini_.pdf: 2121004 bytes, checksum: c1f55ddc527cdaeb7ae3c224baea727a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-03-29 / Nenhuma / O Visual Analytics consiste na combinação de métodos inteligentes e automáticos com a capacidade de percepção visual do ser humano visando a extração do conhecimento de conjuntos de dados. Esta capacidade visual é apoiada por interfaces interativas como, sendo a de maior importância para este trabalho, a visualização por Coordenadas Paralelas. Todavia, ferramentas que disponham de ambos os métodos automáticos (KDD) e visuais (Coordenadas Paralelas) de forma genérica e integrada mostra-se primordial. Deste modo, este trabalho apresenta um modelo integrado entre o processo de KDD e o de Visualização de Informação utilizando as Coordenadas Paralelas com ênfase no make sense of data, ao ampliar a possibilidade de exploração dos dados ainda na etapa de pré-processamento. Para demonstrar o funcionamento deste modelo, um plugin foi desenvolvido sobre a ferramenta WEKA. Este módulo é responsável por ampliar as possibilidades de utilização da ferramenta escolhida ao expandir suas funcionalidades a ponto de conceitua-la como uma ferramenta Visual Analytics. Junto a visualização de Coordenadas Paralelas disponibilizada, também se viabiliza a interação por permutação das dimensões (eixos), interação por seleção de amostras (brushing) e possibilidade de detalhamento das mesmas na própria visualização. / Visual Analytics is the combination of intelligent and automatic methods with the ability of human visual perception aiming to extract knowledge from data sets. This visual capability is supported by interactive interfaces, considering the most important for this work, the Parallel Coordinates visualization. However, tools that have both automatic methods (KDD) and visual (Parallel Coordinates) in a generic and integrated way is inherent. Thus, this work presents an integrated model between the KDD process and the Information Visualization using the Parallel Coordinates with emphasis on the make sense of data, by increasing the possibility of data exploration in the preprocessing stage. To demonstrate the operation of this model, a plugin was developed on the WEKA tool. This module is responsible for expanding the possibilities of chosen tool by expanding its functionality to the point of conceptualizing it as a Visual Analytics tool. In addition to the delivered visualization of Parallel Coordinate, it is also possible to interact by permutation of the dimensions (axes), interaction by selection of samples (brushing) and possibility of detailing them in the visualization itself.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-09-19T16:19:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Richard Mateus Altmayer_.pdf: 11624194 bytes, checksum: 033148b21ac20bc09f084ae426e1e45f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-19T16:19:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Richard Mateus Altmayer_.pdf: 11624194 bytes, checksum: 033148b21ac20bc09f084ae426e1e45f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-12 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A utilização de informações sobre comportamento de navegação de usuários na web tem sido amplamente utilizada para traçar perfis comportamentais de usuários com o intuito de oferecer anúncios publicitários por segmentos ou categorias. Nesta mesma linha, hábitos de comportamento baseado em locais que um indivíduo frequenta no seu cotidiano também podem ser analisados. Este trabalho propõe um modelo de agrupamento de indivíduos de uma população para posterior análise de seus hábitos de frequência a locais (GeoSocial). Os padrões de frequência dos grupos formados representam características de comportamento da população e podem ajudar a identificar oportunidades mercadológicas ou auxiliar aos tomadores de decisão ligados ao governo proporem determinadas melhorias/mudanças na infra-estrutura de uma determinada cidade. As informações dos locais de interesse frequentados pelos usuários são capturadas por coordenadas GPS via aplicativo móvel desenvolvido. O aplicativo rastreia e armazena as localidades que o indivíduo frequenta, permite visualizar o seu tempo e locais de permanência e pode conectá-lo à uma rede social formada a partir das similaridades entre seus hábitos e de outros indivíduos. O modelo proposto engloba: i. um módulo de clusterização de usuários que utiliza a técnica Affinity Propagation; ii. um módulo de visualização interativa para análise dos grupos por meio da técnica de Coordenadas Paralelas. O GeoSocial é avaliado mediante a utilização de diferentes cenários, fazendo uso de dados artificiais gerados. A avaliação evidencia o potencial de adaptação do modelo à diferentes objetivos de análise. / Information about user navigation behavior on the web has been widely used to draw user behavioral profiles in order to offer advertisements segmented by categories. In this same line, behavior habits based on places that an individual attends in their daily life can also be analyzed. This paper proposes a clustering model of individuals for further analysis of their habits of frequency in places (GeoSocial). Patterns of the formed groups represent characteristics of population’s behavior and can help to identify market opportunities or to help decision makers linked to government to propose improvements/changes in the infrastructure of a city. Users information about their frequented interest places are captured by GPS coordinates by a mobile app developed. App tracks and storages places that are frequent individuals. It allows visualize their time permanency on places and connect they to a social network formed from the similarities between their habits and the others. The proposed model includes: i. a user clustering module based on Affinity Propagation technique; ii. an interactive visualization module to analyze individual data correlation of groups based on Parallel Coordinates technique. GeoSocial is evaluated by different scenarios, making use of artificial data generated. Evaluation indicates the possibility of the model to a multitude of objectives.