The fine artists' definition of ``a problem" to solve may well never include getting a program to run, but rather what to do with the program to affect the viewer's life. The artists' non-linear approach constantly reaches out, striving for options and ``what ifs" to stimulate thinking, creativity and affect the emotions. An element of chaos may be the by-product or the end in itself. A sculptor may identify a visual and conceptual problem to solve in a particular physical space. Someone who does not view the world from an artists' perspective might never consider that there is a problem concerning that space to solve.
A scientist often strives to understand the nature of things so as to find concrete answers, or at least expand on research so that answers will come later. This is not to say that there is a lack of creativity among scientists, but rather it may be channeled or focused toward a different end often to solve a specific problem. To achieve this, often a linear logical approach is preferred so as to better deal with chaos, imbalance, or selection of categories for information captured.
Artists work to achieve variations in visual expression, and may at times strive for the viewer to experience the emotional turmoil embedded in the art form. The artists' tools of line, shape, form, contrast, color, scale, composition, and movement (enhanced by the potential of CGI) are manipulated in order to affect the emotions and, at its zenith, the passions in others. But like the scientist, the artists' creations, to be successful, must maintain the intellectual components which are based upon the building blocks of structure, and the elements and principles of design.
Scientists have traditionally been collectors of information and have usually used it to solve mysteries. But a mystery is only as good as the next question. When there is a lack of understanding, causing dissonance or imbalance, it is a basic human drive to resolve this entropy.
Artists want more information too, in order to make a stronger visual and emotional statement. Cubism, which enables one to view a work from many angles simultaneously, is based on the artists' wish to impart more information quickly.
This ``visual communication" is computer graphic's link between scientists and artists, often those with differing approaches to the same information. Problem solving processes can be difficult to capture, and programming for computer graphics applications requires an understanding of many different approaches. The term ``visualization" is understood by most artists in this very generic and broadly based fashion.