Towards an Aesthetic Dimensions Framework for Dynamic Graph Visualizations

Paper pdf-Version

Different aesthetic criteria for dynamic graph visualization as attributes and different visualization approaches as cases displayed in a parallel coordinates plot

Most research on the readability of graph visualisation focuses on node-link diagrams of static graphs. But in many applications graphs are not static, but change over time, or graphs are too dense to be drawn as node-link diagrams.

In this work we look at dynamic graph visualisations: We translate the general goal of graph visualisation - to convey the underlying information of a graph - into aesthetic dimensions that are applicable in practice. These aesthetic dimensions help to design, compare, and evaluate dynamic graph visualisations.

In this research, we discuss several graph visualization metaphors such as node-link, matrix, or list based techniques. Furthermore, we explain how dynamic graphs, i.e. those that change over time, can be represented visually by animation, as a sequence, or in an aligned diagram style.

The goal of this work is to produce an aesthetic dimensions framework for dynamic graph visualization. Consequently, we examine graph visualizations for general (GAC), dynamic (DAC), and aesthetic scalability criteria(SC). Finally, we discuss some existing approaches under the viewpoint of all of these criteria and point out which are suited best for specific criteria.

If you are interested in this research or if you would like to give some helpful comments please write an email to Fabian Beck, currently working at the University of Trier, Germany. Another option is to first read our IV 2009 paper.