Visualization of a Recommendation System

On a side academic project, I am investigation of visualization techniques of recommendation for lifelong competence development programs. Two issues relate to my research interests and could be evaluated in parallel with my real-world field studies.

• Use a map metaphor to position a learner in a competence landscape and support his/her awareness and navigation.
• There is an inherent uncertainty in the recommendations (the algorithm is a black box). Visualizing the quality/accuracy of the recommendations could improve the usability of the tool.

A type of map that could support users to define competences to acquire. (Example of Search queries in 2003 in the swiss search engine search.ch. Source Schweizer Cyberlandschaft, produced by the University of Zürich Sotomo group)

Relation to my thesis: Usability studies or experiments on positioning in the information space could (eventually) support my “living lab“-based field studies.