Designing for Collaboration: Visualization to Enable Human–{LLM} Analytical Partnership

Visualization artifacts have long served as anchors for collaboration and knowledge transfer in data analysis. While effective for human–human collaboration, little is known about their role in capturing and externalizing knowledge when working with large language models ({LLMs}). Despite the growing role of {LLMs} in analytics, their linear text-based workflows limit the ability to structure artifacts into useful and traceable representations of the analytical process. We argue that dynamic visual representations of evolving analysis—organizing artifacts and provenance into semantic structures, such as idea development and shifts in inquiry—are critical for effective human–{LLM} workflows. We demonstrate the current opportunities and limitations of using {LLMs} to track, structure, and visualize analytic processes, and propose a research agenda to leverage rapid advances in {LLM} capabilities. Our goal is to present a compelling argument for maximizing the role of visualization as a catalyst for more structured, transparent, and insightful human–{LLM} analytical interactions.