Managing the Evolution of Dataflows with VisTrails

Abstract

Scientists are now faced with an incredible volume of data to analyze. To successfully analyze and validate various hypotheses, it is necessary to pose several queries, correlate disparate data, and create insightful visualizations of both the simulated processes and observed phenomena. Data exploration through visualization requires scientists to go through several steps. In essence, they need to assemble complex workflows that consist of dataset selection, specification of series of operations that need to be applied to the data, and the creation of appropriate visual representations, before they can finally view and analyze the results. Often, insight comes from comparing the results of multiple visualizations that are created during the data exploration process.