Aspects of network visualization

• Published in: IEEE computer graphics and applications Vol. 16; no. 2; pp. 69 - 72
• Main Author: Eick, S.T.
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-03-1996
• Subjects: Computer displays; Computer networks; Data visualization; Explosives; IP networks; Object oriented databases; Telecommunication switching; Uniform resource locators; Visual databases; Web sites
• ISSN: 0272-1716; 1558-1756
• DOI: 10.1109/38.486685

A fundamental aspect of information visualization involves the display of relationships among objects. Much of this information can be represented by networks with nodes corresponding to objects and links representing their relationships. Node and link diagrams, although natural choices to display this class of data, are easily overwhelmed with too much information, becoming cluttered and visually confused. Three solutions help solve the information overload problem: (1) parameter focusing and dynamic interaction, (2) clever node positioning to show structure, and (3) 3D embeddings. Bell Laboratories' SeeNet, NicheWorks and SeeNet3D systems embody these techniques. The company has successfully exercised them to visualize data from several industrial-sized network data sets.