🤖 AI Summary
This study addresses the limitations of conventional timeline tools, which rely on linear chronology and struggle to capture the irregularity and context-dependence of lived experiences. To overcome this, the authors propose an “orchestrated” approach to timeline construction that treats time as a spatially organized experience, integrating relative positioning, rhythm, and contextual cues among events. They developed a tablet-based augmented reality (AR) prototype enabling users to freely arrange and immersively explore temporal narratives within physical space. Through an in-situ qualitative study with twelve participants, the research uncovers diverse strategies for constructing nonlinear timelines, demonstrates the feasibility of contextualized temporal storytelling in AR environments, and distills key design principles for immersive time-based narratives.
📝 Abstract
Timelines are effective ways to tell historical and personal stories. However, most timeline visualization tools impose an inflexible model of time prioritizing chronological clarity. On the other hand, unconstrained representations can better capture the irregular and contextual nature of lived time, but often at the cost of interpretability. In this work, we explore this continuum with a study of how historical and personal timelines could manifest in physical spaces. We conducted a formative study (N=12) in which participants freely arranged events within a physical environment. We observed a diversity of strategies reflecting the personal and context-dependent nature of temporal mental models. We also invited participants to consider how others could move through their timelines. Our analysis led to a choreographic approach to timeline creation, as well as a proof-of-concept tablet-based augmented reality (AR) application that supports spatial timeline drawing and viewing. Finally, we reflect on the design implications of encoding chronology, pacing, and spatial context in immersive timeline stories.