MAS Dynamics on Stage

Abstract:

We aim to explore a new kind of user interface solely dedicated to presenting the global inner dynamics of Multi-Agent Systems (MASs) on a higher level. Being complex systems, MASs are often only or barely understood by their designer(s). Could we enable a particular kind of agent to tell the designer’s story about the agent- and human-interactive behaviours taking place inside the MAS in a meaningful way? Could a set of virtual actors turn this story into a ‘dynamic user-experience’? After taking a closer look at how to gain insight into complex systems and why to pick a drama-based approach, we present the three pillars of perception, interpretation and presentation, on which we base our visualisation efforts. We show how they relate to various research fields such as agent technology, human computer interaction, psychology, computer graphics, animation, drama, body language and cognitive ergonomics. Based upon these insights we introduce a conceptual model for drama-based visualisation, followed by a stepwise description of how this framework could be applied. The article closes with some reflections and conclusions.