Design and Evaluation of a Business Information Visualization System for Manufacturing Production Planning Support

In most management domains, problem-solving and decision-making are overwhelming because of the high volume of complicated data, the multiple complex relationships among data, the negotiability of the constraints, the changing environment, and time pressure. Most existing computer systems, such as expert systems, decision support systems, and simulation systems, have built-in functionalities and cannot reflect the changing environment and possibilities for negotiation. Although they can generate reports, they are very limited in providing superior solutions for complex problems. Human beings are in control in the process of problem-solving and decision-making. A useful decision support system should incorporate human problem-solving processes, support human information need during the processes, consider human cognition and perception characteristics, and provide insight into generated or collected data. This paper describes our preliminary results on the design and evaluation of an information visualization system for the support of manufacturing production planning. It introduces the domain problem, information visualization research methodology from a user-centered perspective, and the design and implementation of a prototype system based on a proposed visualization model that emphasizes human-information interaction. A lab experimental study shows that the visualization system cooperated with planners’ problem-solving strategies, provided the relevant information at the relevant abstract levels that planners need during the planning processes, and was easy to understand and use. Compared with a traditional manufacturing production planning support system, the visualization system supported planners with more alternative solutions, more efficient changes in raw planning data, more confidence about domain tasks, and more satisfaction with solutions