Publiée 30 juin 2026
PhD Position F/M Designing Digital-Physical Collaborative Visualization Environments for Co-Located Collective Decision-Making
Inria
Talence, Nouvelle-Aquitaine 33400, France
CDI
Contexte et atouts du poste
Data plays a central role in contemporary collective decision-making processes, from urban planning and environmental transitions to public policy and civic participation. Advances in data visualization have significantly improved our ability to analyze and communicate complex information, as highlighted by foundational work in visualization research [Munzner2014].
However, most visualization systems remain designed for single users, desktop settings, or expert audiences. Collaborative visualization has been defined as the shared use of interactive visual representations to support joint information processing, opening new directions for group-centered data engagement [Isenberg2011]. Emerging platforms such as mixed-reality environments e.g. [Assor24], tabletop systems e.g. [Giraudeau19], and data physicalizations [Dragicevic21] open new opportunities for embodied, situated, and immersive data experiences. Yet there is still limited understanding of how to design integrated digital-physical environments that effectively support heterogeneous groups in face-to-face settings, particularly when collaboration involves explanation, exploration, data input, deliberation, and communication of outcomes.
This PhD addresses this gap by focusing on the design and evaluation of innovative, co-located visualization environments that foster collaboration, engagement, and shared understanding. The emphasis is placed on practical design contributions and empirically validated prototypes rather than purely theoretical modeling.
Mission confiée
The overall objective of this PhD is to design, prototype, and evaluate digital-physical visualization environments that enhance collaborative engagement with data in co-located settings.
The research will be guided by questions such as ; What characteristics make a digital-physical environment effective for collaborative engagement with data? How can interfaces support onboarding, explanation, and progressive disclosure of complex data for diverse audiences? How does co-location and physical situatedness influence understanding, participation, and deliberation compared to conventional desktop or remote settings? Which types of visualization environments (e.g., large displays, immersive systems, data physicalizations, hybrid configurations) are best suited for specific collaborative activities such as exploration, annotation, negotiation, or decision-making? How can insights from iterative prototyping and empirical evaluation be translated into actionable design guidelines for future collaborative visualization systems?
Assor24] Ambre Assor, Arnaud Prouzeau, Pierre Dragicevic, Martin Hachet. Augmented-Reality Waste Accumulation Visualizations. ACM Journal on Computing and Sustainable Societies , 2024, 2 (11), pp.29.
[Dragicevic21] Dragicevic, P., Jansen, Y., Vande Moere, A. (2021). Data Physicalization. In: Vanderdonckt, J., Palanque, P., Winckler, M. (eds) Handbook of Human Computer Interaction. Springer, Cham.
[Giraudeau19] Philippe Giraudeau, Alexis Olry, Joan Sol Roo, Stéphanie Fleck, David Bertolo, et al.. CARDS: A Mixed-Reality System for Collaborative Learning at School. ACM ISS'19 - ACM International Conference on Interactive Surfaces and Spaces, Nov 2019, Daejeon, South Korea. pp.55-64,
[Isenberg2011] Isenberg, P., Elmqvist, N., Scholtz, J., Cernea, D., Ma, K. L. & Hagen, H. (2011). Collaborative visualization: Definition, challenges, and research agenda. Information Visualization, 10(4), pp.310-326.
[Munzner2014] Munzner, T. (2014). Visualization Analysis and Design . A K Peters/CRC Press.
Principales activités
The PhD will follow an iterative, design-driven HCI methodology combining literature synthesis, design space construction, prototyping, and empirical evaluation.
Concretely, the work will begin with a structured review of collaborative visualization, immersive analytics, and data physicalization. This will lead to the development of a first design space describing key dimensions of digital-physical collaborative environments
Then, several innovative prototypes will be developed, potentially including large interactive wall displays for collective exploration, tangible or physical data representations, mixed-reality or immersive collaborative setups, hybrid configurations combining physical artifacts and digital augmentation.These systems will be designed to support concrete collaborative tasks such as explaining complex datasets, enabling participant-driven data entry, facilitating comparison of scenarios, or structuring deliberation.
Finally, each prototype will undergo controlled laboratory studies assessing usability, task performance, engagement, and collaboration patterns, and when possible, we will explore field deployments in real-world events or workshops in collaboration with institutional or civic partners, ensuring ecological validity.
Particular attention will be paid to heterogeneous groups with varying levels of expertise.
Compétences
We seek candidates from computer science, design or cognitive science with strong interests in interdisciplinary and human-centered research as well as societal challenges such as climate change and mitigation, inequality, or misinformation. The candidate is expected to bring basic experience in one or more of the following fields: visualization design, virtual and mixed reality, human-subject studies and general methods in human-computer interaction. Applicants should be capable of programming experimental and interactive systems as well as quantitative data analysis. Strong proficiency in required in English (reading, discussions, writing). French is not a requirement but will help with paperwork and daily life. It is expected that the candidate takes increasing agency over the topic during the PhD, defining the topic and specific research questions alongside their personal interests, competencies, and future plans.
Avantages
Rémunération
2300€ / month (before taxs)
Data plays a central role in contemporary collective decision-making processes, from urban planning and environmental transitions to public policy and civic participation. Advances in data visualization have significantly improved our ability to analyze and communicate complex information, as highlighted by foundational work in visualization research [Munzner2014].
However, most visualization systems remain designed for single users, desktop settings, or expert audiences. Collaborative visualization has been defined as the shared use of interactive visual representations to support joint information processing, opening new directions for group-centered data engagement [Isenberg2011]. Emerging platforms such as mixed-reality environments e.g. [Assor24], tabletop systems e.g. [Giraudeau19], and data physicalizations [Dragicevic21] open new opportunities for embodied, situated, and immersive data experiences. Yet there is still limited understanding of how to design integrated digital-physical environments that effectively support heterogeneous groups in face-to-face settings, particularly when collaboration involves explanation, exploration, data input, deliberation, and communication of outcomes.
This PhD addresses this gap by focusing on the design and evaluation of innovative, co-located visualization environments that foster collaboration, engagement, and shared understanding. The emphasis is placed on practical design contributions and empirically validated prototypes rather than purely theoretical modeling.
Mission confiée
The overall objective of this PhD is to design, prototype, and evaluate digital-physical visualization environments that enhance collaborative engagement with data in co-located settings.
The research will be guided by questions such as ; What characteristics make a digital-physical environment effective for collaborative engagement with data? How can interfaces support onboarding, explanation, and progressive disclosure of complex data for diverse audiences? How does co-location and physical situatedness influence understanding, participation, and deliberation compared to conventional desktop or remote settings? Which types of visualization environments (e.g., large displays, immersive systems, data physicalizations, hybrid configurations) are best suited for specific collaborative activities such as exploration, annotation, negotiation, or decision-making? How can insights from iterative prototyping and empirical evaluation be translated into actionable design guidelines for future collaborative visualization systems?
Assor24] Ambre Assor, Arnaud Prouzeau, Pierre Dragicevic, Martin Hachet. Augmented-Reality Waste Accumulation Visualizations. ACM Journal on Computing and Sustainable Societies , 2024, 2 (11), pp.29.
[Dragicevic21] Dragicevic, P., Jansen, Y., Vande Moere, A. (2021). Data Physicalization. In: Vanderdonckt, J., Palanque, P., Winckler, M. (eds) Handbook of Human Computer Interaction. Springer, Cham.
[Giraudeau19] Philippe Giraudeau, Alexis Olry, Joan Sol Roo, Stéphanie Fleck, David Bertolo, et al.. CARDS: A Mixed-Reality System for Collaborative Learning at School. ACM ISS'19 - ACM International Conference on Interactive Surfaces and Spaces, Nov 2019, Daejeon, South Korea. pp.55-64,
[Isenberg2011] Isenberg, P., Elmqvist, N., Scholtz, J., Cernea, D., Ma, K. L. & Hagen, H. (2011). Collaborative visualization: Definition, challenges, and research agenda. Information Visualization, 10(4), pp.310-326.
[Munzner2014] Munzner, T. (2014). Visualization Analysis and Design . A K Peters/CRC Press.
Principales activités
The PhD will follow an iterative, design-driven HCI methodology combining literature synthesis, design space construction, prototyping, and empirical evaluation.
Concretely, the work will begin with a structured review of collaborative visualization, immersive analytics, and data physicalization. This will lead to the development of a first design space describing key dimensions of digital-physical collaborative environments
Then, several innovative prototypes will be developed, potentially including large interactive wall displays for collective exploration, tangible or physical data representations, mixed-reality or immersive collaborative setups, hybrid configurations combining physical artifacts and digital augmentation.These systems will be designed to support concrete collaborative tasks such as explaining complex datasets, enabling participant-driven data entry, facilitating comparison of scenarios, or structuring deliberation.
Finally, each prototype will undergo controlled laboratory studies assessing usability, task performance, engagement, and collaboration patterns, and when possible, we will explore field deployments in real-world events or workshops in collaboration with institutional or civic partners, ensuring ecological validity.
Particular attention will be paid to heterogeneous groups with varying levels of expertise.
Compétences
We seek candidates from computer science, design or cognitive science with strong interests in interdisciplinary and human-centered research as well as societal challenges such as climate change and mitigation, inequality, or misinformation. The candidate is expected to bring basic experience in one or more of the following fields: visualization design, virtual and mixed reality, human-subject studies and general methods in human-computer interaction. Applicants should be capable of programming experimental and interactive systems as well as quantitative data analysis. Strong proficiency in required in English (reading, discussions, writing). French is not a requirement but will help with paperwork and daily life. It is expected that the candidate takes increasing agency over the topic during the PhD, defining the topic and specific research questions alongside their personal interests, competencies, and future plans.
Avantages
- Subsidized meals
- Partial reimbursement of public transport costs
- Possibility of teleworking and flexible organization of working hours
- Professional equipment available (videoconferencing, loan of computer equipment, etc.)
- Social, cultural and sports events and activities
- Access to vocational training
- Social security coverage
Rémunération
2300€ / month (before taxs)
