Using visual information analysis to explore complex patterns in the activity of designers

•We propose a novel information visualisation method for analysing design activity.•We demonstrate the method using an example study of information seeking activity.•We analyse activity qualitatively, quantitatively and in terms of temporal evolution.•We demonstrate the methods utility in probabilistically modelling complex activity.•We conclude that this method could provide an important tool for design research.

The analysis of complex interlinked datasets poses a significant problem for design researchers. This is addressed by proposing an information visualisation method for analysing patterns of design activity, qualitatively and quantitatively, with respect to time. This method visualises the temporality of interrelations between interlinked variables and, as such, can be applied to a range of datasets. By providing a statistical analysis of the networks' growth the proposed method allows for the modelling of complex patterns of activity. Throughout, the method is demonstrated with respect to a fully realised example of information seeking activity. The core contribution of the proposed method is in supporting the analysis of activity with respect to both macro and micro level temporal interactions between variables.