0 Rodrigues, Jose Fernando Traina, Agma J M de Oliveira, Maria Cristina F Traina, Caetano 2007 Inf Visualization 6 261-279 nov Data visualization,design space,information visualization,taxonomy,visualization model We revisit the design space of visualizations aiming at identifying and relating its components. In this sense, we establish a model to examine the process through which visualizations become expressive for users. This model has lead us to a taxonomy oriented to the human visual perception. The essence of this taxonomy provides natural criteria in order to delineate a novel understanding for the design space of visualizations. From such understanding, we elaborate a model for generalized design. The model poses an intuitive comprehension for the visualization design space departing from fundamental pre-attentive stimuli and from perceptual phenomena. The paper is presented as a survey, its structure introduces an alternative conceptual organization for the space of techniques concerning visual analysis. http://dx.doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.ivs.9500161