RAMP VIS: Making Visual Analytics an Integral Part of the Technological Infrastructure for Combating COVID-19

COVID-19大流行的计算模型在英国抗击COVID-19的努力中发挥了重要作用。在全国范围内，大约有100个研究团队在研究不同的模型，其中有几十个团队提供了模拟、估计和预测，为四个国家的政府决策提供了信息。一个值得注意的疏忽是可视化和可视化分析技术在支持模型开发的科学工作流程中的利用不足，这通常由一组迭代过程组成，例如(a)假设公式和因果关系分析；(b)模型开发、测试、验证和比较；(c)模型部署、监测和改进；(d)科学和公众传播。由于可视化被广泛地误认为只是信息或知识的传播，该技术在建模工作流程的所有其他阶段通常没有得到充分利用。理想情况下，建模科学家和流行病学家可以在任何需要的时候快速浏览动态数据（如股票经纪人观察股票市场数据），获得疾病发展和控制的时空模式的有效概述（如气象学家观察卫星图像、等高线地图等），获得数据的外部记忆以刺激假设和考虑各种决策（如在作战室中对许多地图踱来踱去）。并从一组分析算法和可视化中获得关于数据中隐藏的相似性、异常、聚类、相关性、因果关系和关联的建议（参见CEO咨询专家）。理想情况下，有一个可视化的分析基础设施，作为“常设能力”（国务卿），它可以支持许多建模团队执行日常观察、分析和模型开发任务。拟议的VA技术和知识基础设施对于抗击COVID-19大流行至关重要，因为许多流行病学家正在为COVID-10在一段时间内成为威胁做准备。由于最近采取了局部控制措施，这表明许多当地科学家和医疗保健专业人员需要额外的局部VA支持。在开始接种疫苗时，需要对不同区域使用的不同疫苗的有效性进行监测和建模。VA的技术和知识基础设施可以经济有效地满足这种全国性的需求。

Computational modelling of the COVID-19 pandemic has been playing a significant role in the UK's effort to combat COVID-19. Across the country, there are about 100 research teams working on different models, and several dozens have provided simulation, estimation, and prediction to inform the governmental decisions in the four home nations. One noticeable oversight is the under-utilisation of visualization and visual analytics technology in supporting the scientific workflows for model development, which typically consists of a set of iterative processes, such as (a) hypothesis formulation and causality analysis; (b) model development, testing, validation, and comparison; (c) model deployment, monitoring, and improvement; and (d) scientific and public dissemination.Because visualization is widely mistaken only for information or knowledge dissemination, the technology is commonly underused in all other stages of a modelling workflow. Ideally, modelling scientists and epidemiologists could have a quick glance of dynamic data anytime there is a need (cf. stock brokers observing stock market data), access effective overviews of spatiotemporal patterns of the disease development and control (cf., meteorologists observing satellite images, contour maps, etc.), be provided with external memorization of data to stimulate hypotheses and contemplate various decisions (cf. a general pacing around in a war room in front of many maps), and receive advice from an ensemble of analytical algorithms and visualizations about similarity, anomalies, clusters, correlation, causality, and association hidden in the data (cf. a CEO consulting specialists). Ideally, there is a visual analytics infrastructure, as a "standing capacity" (Secretary of State), that can support many modelling teams performing daily observational, analytical, and model-developmental tasks.The proposed VA technical and knowledge infrastructures are essential for combating COVID-19 pandemic, as many epidemiologists are preparing for COVID-10 to be a threat for some time. With the recent introduction of localised control measures, it indicates an additional need for localised VA supports for many local scientists and healthcare professionals. When vaccination starts, there is a need for monitoring and modelling the effectiveness of different vaccines used in different regions. Such a nationwide need can be cost-effectively delivered by the VA technical and knowledge infrastructures.