Bringing out the best in scientific visualisation for reach and impact: Visual brokerage

Scientific visualisation is a ubiquitous, often necessary component of explaining and sharing research findings. If used thoughtfully, it can engage, inspire, and enhance the communication of ideas and discoveries. While real-world impact has long been central to research, methods of demonstrating impact are moving beyond counting peer-review publications and citations. The way we think about scientific visualisations is changing, in particular how it can be used to creating and enhancing communication throughout the research process. This article outlines the scope, opportunities and challenges of scientific visualisation, and discusses how the concept of visual brokerage can bring out the most from the possibilities offered by visualising scientific content.