Information is a container word with several meanings; Information can refer to:

• raw data in a document or database
• tagged or classified information in a document or database
• specified, classified content without reference to a document or medium
• an answer to a specific question
• an automated system giving a programmed response to a specific question

Visualizing tools for Information are needed in our ongoing quest for information: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has published a lot of research papers over the years and developed several visualization tools.

Looking for ways to visualize information and meta-levels I found the following websites:

• A visual exploration on mapping complex networks:
  http://www.visualcomplexity.com/vc/
• Interactive Knowledge Maps of Tools, Books, Researchers, Success Factors, and Methods in the Visualization Field
  http://www.visual-literacy.org/pages/documents.htm
• Periodic Table of Visualization Methods
  http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html
• Visualization Methods from the Periodic Table:
  http://www.cems.uwe.ac.uk/xmldb/rest/db/Visualization/showAll.xql
• Information Visualization (methods and software)
  http://infoviz.pnl.gov/technologies.html
• Data Visualization: Modern Approaches
  http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/02/data-visualization-modern-approaches/

1. Task Definition
1.1 Define the information problem
1.2 Identify information needed in order to complete the task (to solve the information problem)

2. Information Seeking Strategies
2.1 Determine the range of possible sources (brainstorm)
2.2 Evaluate the different possible sources to determine priorities (select the best sources)

3. Location and Access
3.1 Locate sources (intellectually and physically)
3.2 Find information within sources

4. Use of Information
4.1 Engage (e.g., read, hear, view, touch) the information in a source
4.2 Extract relevant information from a source

5. Synthesis
5.1 Organize information from multiple sources
5.2 Present the information

6. Evaluation
6.1 Judge the product (effectiveness)
6.2 Judge the information problem-solving process (efficiency)

This method is used by Big6™ to teach information literacy in schools.