{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,4]],"date-time":"2026-05-04T11:26:20Z","timestamp":1777893980568,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":72,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2016,7,25]],"date-time":"2016-07-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1469404800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Information Visualization"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,10]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>User tasks play a pivotal role in visualization design and evaluation. However, the term \u2018task\u2019 is used ambiguously within the visualization community. In this article, we critically analyze the relevant literature and systematically compare definitions of \u2018task\u2019 and the usage of related terminology. In doing so, we identify a three-dimensional conceptual space of user tasks in visualization, referred to as the task cube, and the more precise concepts \u2018objective\u2019 and \u2018action\u2019 for tasks. We illustrate the usage of the task cube\u2019s dimensions in an objective-driven visualization process, in different scenarios of visualization design and evaluation, and for comparing categorizations of abstract tasks. Thus, visualization researchers can better formulate their contributions which helps advance visualization as a whole.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1473871615621602","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2015,12,28]],"date-time":"2015-12-28T20:34:23Z","timestamp":1451334863000},"page":"288-300","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":44,"title":["Task Cube: A three-dimensional conceptual space of user tasks in visualization design and evaluation"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"15","author":[{"given":"Alexander","family":"Rind","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"St. Poelten University of Applied Sciences, Austria"}]},{"given":"Wolfgang","family":"Aigner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St. Poelten University of Applied Sciences, Austria"}]},{"given":"Markus","family":"Wagner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"St. Poelten University of Applied Sciences, Austria"}]},{"given":"Silvia","family":"Miksch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Vienna University of Technology, Austria"}]},{"given":"Tim","family":"Lammarsch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"MODUL University Vienna, Private University, Austria"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2016,7,25]]},"reference":[{"issue":"9","key":"bibr1-1473871615621602","first-page":"1520","volume":"18","author":"Lam H","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr2-1473871615621602","first-page":"2818","volume":"19","author":"Isenberg T","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr3-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cag.2013.11.002"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr4-1473871615621602","first-page":"921","volume":"15","author":"Munzner T.","year":"2009","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr5-1473871615621602","first-page":"2431","volume":"18","author":"Sedlmair M","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr6-1473871615621602","volume-title":"Human-computer interaction","author":"Preece J","year":"1994"},{"key":"bibr7-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2669557.2669568"},{"key":"bibr8-1473871615621602","volume-title":"Illuminating the path: the research and development agenda for visual analytics","author":"Thomas JJ","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr9-1473871615621602","first-page":"17","volume-title":"Proceedings of the international workshop visual analytics (EuroVA)","author":"Aigner W","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr10-1473871615621602","volume-title":"Exploratory analysis of spatial and temporal data: a systematic approach","author":"Andrienko N","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr11-1473871615621602","volume-title":"Task-based adaptation of graphical content in smart visual interfaces","author":"Fuchs G.","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr12-1473871615621602","first-page":"111","volume-title":"Proceedings IEEE symposiumn information visualization, INFOVIS","author":"Amar R","year":"2005"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr13-1473871615621602","first-page":"2376","volume":"19","author":"Brehmer M","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr14-1473871615621602","first-page":"2356","volume":"19","author":"Roth RE.","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr15-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/ivs.2008.31"},{"key":"bibr16-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1201\/b15703"},{"key":"bibr17-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s13218-012-0167-6"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr18-1473871615621602","first-page":"1224","volume":"13","author":"Yi JS","year":"2007","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr19-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2133416.2146416"},{"key":"bibr20-1473871615621602","unstructured":"Cook K, Grinstein G, Whiting M. VAST challenge 2014: the Kronos incident, 2014. http:\/\/www.vacommunity.org\/VAST+Challenge+2014 (2014, accessed 9 February 2015)."},{"key":"bibr21-1473871615621602","volume-title":"VAST challenge, proceedings of the IEEE conference on visual analytics science and technology","author":"Saraf P","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr22-1473871615621602","unstructured":"Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Task. http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/task (accessed August 27 2014)."},{"key":"bibr23-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-0-387-35175-9_58"},{"key":"bibr24-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1070960.1070976"},{"key":"bibr25-1473871615621602","volume-title":"About face 3: the essentials of interaction design","author":"Cooper A","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr26-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1201\/b17511"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr27-1473871615621602","first-page":"2366","volume":"19","author":"Schulz HJ","year":"2013","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr28-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/ivs.2009.22"},{"key":"bibr29-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/989863.989865"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr30-1473871615621602","first-page":"1604","volume":"20","author":"Sacha D","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr31-1473871615621602","first-page":"1149","volume":"14","author":"Lam H.","year":"2008","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr32-1473871615621602","first-page":"9","volume-title":"Proceedings of the international workshop on visual analytics, EuroVA, in conjunction with EuroVis","author":"Lammarsch T","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr33-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1473871611433710"},{"key":"bibr34-1473871615621602","first-page":"69","volume-title":"Context and consciousness: activity theory and human-computer interaction","author":"Nardi BA.","year":"1996"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr35-1473871615621602","first-page":"2729","volume":"18","author":"Sedlmair M","year":"2012","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr36-1473871615621602","first-page":"9","volume-title":"Proc. 11th Workshop Visualization for Cyber Security, VizSec","author":"Wagner M"},{"key":"bibr37-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1473871613510429"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr38-1473871615621602","first-page":"2329","volume":"20","author":"Jo J","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"12","key":"bibr39-1473871615621602","first-page":"2422","volume":"17","author":"Zhao J","year":"2011","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr40-1473871615621602","first-page":"443","volume":"11","author":"Saraiya P","year":"2005","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr41-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MCG.2009.53"},{"key":"bibr42-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4614-7485-2_11"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr43-1473871615621602","first-page":"927","volume":"16","author":"Javed W","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr44-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1467-8659.2012.03092.x"},{"key":"bibr45-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/MCG.2009.49"},{"key":"bibr46-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/VL.1996.545307"},{"key":"bibr47-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1979742.1979570"},{"issue":"2","key":"bibr48-1473871615621602","first-page":"357","volume":"13","author":"Jankun-Kelly TJ","year":"2007","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr49-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1124772.1124890"},{"key":"bibr50-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1357054.1357247"},{"key":"bibr51-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/IV.2008.24"},{"key":"bibr52-1473871615621602","volume-title":"Eurographics conference on visualization (EuroVis) \u2013 state of the art reports","author":"Alsallakh B","year":"2014"},{"key":"bibr53-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1561\/1100000039"},{"key":"bibr54-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-642-57193-0"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr55-1473871615621602","first-page":"432","volume":"11","author":"Amar RA","year":"2005","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr56-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/VISUAL.1990.146375"},{"issue":"3","key":"bibr57-1473871615621602","first-page":"365","volume":"20","author":"Ahn J","year":"2014","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr58-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/2669557.2669559"},{"issue":"10","key":"bibr59-1473871615621602","first-page":"1160","volume":"21","author":"Kerracher N","year":"2015","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr60-1473871615621602","first-page":"31","volume-title":"Proceedings of the international EuroVis workshop on visual analytics, EuroVA","author":"Lammarsch T","year":"2012"},{"key":"bibr61-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1168149.1168168"},{"key":"bibr62-1473871615621602","volume-title":"How maps work","author":"MacEachren AM.","year":"1995"},{"key":"bibr63-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-06793-3_5"},{"key":"bibr64-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1168149.1168169"},{"key":"bibr65-1473871615621602","volume-title":"A task-centered visualization design environment and a method for measuring the complexity of visualization designs","author":"Suo X.","year":"2009"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr66-1473871615621602","first-page":"897","volume":"15","author":"Meyer M","year":"2009","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr67-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1109\/INFVIS.1996.559213"},{"issue":"6","key":"bibr68-1473871615621602","first-page":"999","volume":"16","author":"Liu Z","year":"2010","journal-title":"IEEE TVCG"},{"key":"bibr69-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17705\/1thci.00055"},{"key":"bibr70-1473871615621602","first-page":"653","volume-title":"Handbook of human centric visualization","author":"von Landesberger T","year":"2013"},{"key":"bibr71-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1473871611415987"},{"key":"bibr72-1473871615621602","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1323688.1323689"}],"container-title":["Information Visualization"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1473871615621602","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1473871615621602","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1473871615621602","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T19:18:43Z","timestamp":1777490323000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1473871615621602"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2016,7,25]]},"references-count":72,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2016,10]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1473871615621602"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1473871615621602","relation":{},"ISSN":["1473-8716","1473-8724"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1473-8716","type":"print"},{"value":"1473-8724","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2016,7,25]]}}}