Visualization Questionnaire
This questionnaire is part of an exercise to gather visualization requirements from a range of researchers
across the university in order that we may better understand current and future visualization requirements. If
you have any queries or comments then please contact James Osborne osborneja1@cardiff.ac.uk or
Christine Kitchen kitchenca@cardiff.ac.uk of the Advanced Research Computing division.
We would appreciate your responses by Friday 20th February
Visualization is the field of computer science concerned with transforming a user's data into one or more
graphical representations allowing them to gain insight and understanding from their data which may be
output from a simulation (such as fluid flow, molecular dynamics, star formation), or it may be empirical data
(such as recordings from scientific instruments such as microscopes and telescopes), or it may be medical
data (such as CT or MRI). Visualization is not just about making pretty pictures it is about enabling scientists
to combine, interpret, and manipulate their data in ways that allow them to understand patterns, features,
relationships and anomalies.
The best argument for scientific visualization is that today's researchers must consume ever higher volumes
of numbers that gush, as if from a fire hose, out of supercomputer simulations or high-powered scientific
instruments. If researchers try to read the data, usually presented as vast numeric matrices, they will take in
the information at snail's pace. If the information is rendered graphically, however, they can assimilate it at a
much faster rate Rapid advances in 3-D scientific visualization have made a major impact on the display of
data/information.
Please complete the questionnaire online and send it to arcca@cardiff.ac.uk
If you wish to remain anonymous then please leave the Contact Information blank, complete the
questionnaire and send it to “Visualization Survey, ARCCA, Redwood Building”
Contact Information
Name
School or Department
Contact E-mail
Contact Telephone
Section 1 – Data
How often do you visualize your data ?
Daily Weekly Monthly
What type of data do you visualize ?
e.g. I use Pymol which is a free download to visualize results from molecular docking simulations
e.g. I use Fluent which is a commercial product to visualize fluid flow in hydraulic systems
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What format of data do you visualize ?
ASCII (Output from simulations or empirical data)
CDF (Common Data Format)
HDF (Hierarchical Data Format)
DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine)
Images
Other (Please specify) :
How much data do you visualize on a daily / weekly / monthly basis ?
Less than 1GB per day / week / month
Between 1GB and 10GB per day / week / month
More than 10 GB per day / week / month
Other (Please specify) :
How much data do you visualize on an annual basis ?
Less than 10GB per year
Between 10GB and 1TB per year
Between 1TB and 10TB per year
More than 10TB per year
Other (Please specify) :
Does the data you visualize span many orders of magnitude ?
e.g. Yes, from the sub-atomic to the molecular level
Yes No Don’t know
During the research where does your data reside ?
A single location, accessible from a single machine (directly attached storage)
A single location, accessible from multiple machines (network attached storage)
Multiple locations, accessible from multiple machines (multiple network attached storage systems)
Don’t know
Other (Please specify) :
During the research do you need to have immediate access to all of your data files ?
Yes, all of the data files need to be stored on disk for immediate recall
No, some of the data files can be stored on tape for later recall
Don’t know
During the research how much data do you require immediate access to ?
Less than 10GB
Between 10GB and 1TB
Between 1TB and 10TB
More than 10TB
Other (Please specify) :
After the research is completed do you need to archive some or all of the data files ?
Yes, all of the data files need to be stored on tape for later recall
Yes, some of the data files need to be stored on tape for later recall
No, none of the data files need to be stored on tape for later recall
Don’t know
After the research is completed how much data do you require archive access to ?
None
Less than 10GB
Between 10GB and 1TB
Between 1TB and 10TB
More than 10TB
Other (Please specify) :
Section 2 – Software
What visualization software do you currently use ? (Please list all software)
a) Is the software a commercial product, a free download, or an in-house package ?
b) Is the software domain specific e.g. or applicable to a number of domains ?
e.g. I use Matlab which is a commercial product that is applicable to a number of domains
e.g. I use Gnuplot which is a free download that is applicable to a number of domains
e.g. I use Mantleviz which is an in-house package applicable to a single domain
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Does the visualization software you currently use meet all of your requirements ?
a) Is the software lacking in terms of functionality ?
b) Do you have to use a range of packages to meet your requirements ?
c) Does a lack of support hinder your ability to fully exploit the package ?
e.g. I mainly use Gnuplot which meets most of my functional requirements however sometimes I use Matlab
because I can make use of a toolbox to quickly generate data for a range of scenarios. For some things I
like to use Gnuplot such as visualizing the output from one of my own simulation programs, however for
other things I can use Matlab to both generate data and visualize the output. I am sure I could do more with
Matlab if I went on some kind of training course…
Free Text :
What visualization software would you like to use in the future ? (Please list all software)
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Section 3 – Hardware
What visualization hardware do you currently use ? (Please tick one or more options)
Desktop based visualization (standard display)
Desktop based visualization with stereo graphics (either anaglyph, passive, or active stereo)
Projector based visualization (standard display)
Projector based visualization with stereo graphics (either anaglyph, passive, or active stereo)
Immersadesk in Main or Queens Buildings
Workwall in Main or Queens Buildings
Other (Please specify) :
What visualization hardware would you be interested in trying ? (Please tick one or more options)
Desktop based visualization (standard display)
Desktop based visualization with stereo graphics (either anaglyph, passive, or active stereo)
Projector based visualization (standard display)
Projector based visualization with stereo graphics (either anaglyph, passive, or active stereo)
Immersadesk in Main or Queens Buildings
Workwall in Main or Queens Buildings
Other (Please specify) :
Are you aware of the visualization facilities in Main or Queens buildings ?
Yes No
Have you used the visualization facilities in Main or Queens buildings ?
Yes No
Section 4 – Methodology
Do you use compute facilities in one location and visualization facilities in another ?
Yes, I use a remote computing facility and visualize on my desktop
No, I use a remote computing facility and visualize at that remote facility
Other (Please specify) :
Do you need to interact with your simulation whilst it is running ?
Yes, I need the passive ability to examine partial results
Yes, I need the interactive ability to change simulation parameters
No
Do you need to collaborate with others whilst visualizing simulations or empirical data ?
Yes, I need the ability to share empirical data files with colleagues
Yes, I need the ability to share dynamic simulations with colleagues
Yes, I need the ability to share entire visualization sessions with colleagues
No
Section 5 – Support
Given appropriate training would you use the visualization facilities in Main or Queens buildings ?
Yes No Don’t know
Would centralised support for visualization be useful to you ?
Yes No Don’t know
Would a repository of visualization software be useful to you ?
Yes No Don’t know
What is the greatest barrier to increasing your use of visualization ?
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Section 6 – Other
Any further comments ?
Free Text :