Utilizing Visualization Mechanisms to Improve User Performance during Cyber Defense Competitions

This paper describes the development of a visualization system used by students participating in a collegiate cyber defense competition and a first-pass exploratory analysis of the system. Feedback was gathered from first-time users of the system through open-ended field interviews. This initial contextual analysis examined user attitudes about appropriating a new technology in their overall competition strategy. While challenges in the data display and user interface were reported, the interviewees reported that the team and network views offered by the new visualization system enabled them to improve their performance during the competition activities