Abstract

We investigate the use of elastic hierarchies for representing trees, where a single graphical depiction uses a hybrid mixture, or "interleaving", of more basic forms at different nodes of the tree. In particular, we explore combinations of node-link and Treemap forms, to combine the space-efficiency of Treemaps with the structural clarity of node-link diagrams. A taxonomy is developed to characterize the design space of such hybrid combinations. A software prototype is described, which we used to explore various techniques for visualizing, browsing and interacting with elastic hierarchies, such as side-by-side overview and detail views, highlighting and rubber banding across views, visualization of multiple foci, and smooth animations across transitions. The paper concludes with a discussion of the characteristics of elastic hierarchies and suggestions for research on their properties and uses.

Citations