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Combining Sketching and Traditional Diagram Editing Tools

Stapleton, Gem, Plimmer, Beryl, Delaney, Aidan, Rodgers, Peter (2015) Combining Sketching and Traditional Diagram Editing Tools. ACM Transactions on Intelligent Systems and Technology, 6 (1). Article Number 10. ISSN 2157-6904. E-ISSN 2157-6912. (doi:10.1145/2631925) (KAR id:42025)

Abstract

The least cognitively demanding way to create a diagram is to draw it with a pen. Yet there is also a need for more formal visualizations, that is diagrams created using both traditional keyboard and mouse interaction. Our objective is to allow the creation of diagrams using traditional and stylus-based input. Having two diagram creation interfaces requires that changes to a diagram should be automatically rendered in the other visualization. Because sketches are imprecise, there is always the possibility that conversion between visualizations results in a lack of syntactic consistency between the two visualizations. We propose methods for converting diagrams between forms, checking them for equivalence and rectifying inconsistencies. As a result of our theoretical contributions, we present an intelligent software system allowing users to create and edit diagrams in sketch or formal mode. Our proof of concept tool supports diagrams with connected and spatial syntactic elements. Two user studies show that this approach is viable and participants found the software easy to use. We conclude that supporting such diagram creation is now possible in practice.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1145/2631925
Uncontrolled keywords: diagrams, sketching, intelligent systems, sketching interfaces, diagram editing, tools for visual languages
Subjects: Q Science > QA Mathematics (inc Computing science) > QA 76 Software, computer programming, > QA76.9.H85 Human computer interaction
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Computing, Engineering and Mathematical Sciences > School of Computing
Depositing User: Peter Rodgers
Date Deposited: 30 Jul 2014 07:21 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 09:55 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/42025 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Stapleton, Gem.

Creator's ORCID:
CReDIT Contributor Roles:

Rodgers, Peter.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4100-3596
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