Unexplored and familiar: experiencing interactive spatio-temporal visualization

Spatio-temporal (ST) visualization has the power to convey complex information, allowing the user to observe, identify, and interpret occurrences and the evolution of events. A comparative case study was designed to assess the predominantly privileged strategies to represent the articulation between temporal variation and geographic data. The systematic analysis of 25 cases of ST visualization has led to the identification and acknowledgment of shared characteristics between them, and the distinction of disparities and exceptions. The application of 50 criteria, assorted in 11 categories, resulted in nine general findings and two startling remarks. This study provides an understanding of the most prevalent author's decisions when designing interactive ST visualization.