Challenges in graph-based relational data visualization
Emanuel G. Noik · 1992
During recent years we have witnessed a growing trend toward the use of visual interfaces to view and query databases. The graph topovisual formalism is particularly well-suited for depicting relational data. The vertices of a directed graph represent a set of entities, while arcs represent relationships among the entities. This paper studies the functional requirements of a hypothetical graph visualization facility (GVF) by surveying past work in related areas and by describing challenging problems that must be addressed before such a system can be realized. Our contribution, therefore, is twofold: we present a unique holistic approach, which, in turn, gives rise to a number of interesting research problems. 1 Introduction A glimpse at recent computer science literature reveals the wide-spread use and popularity of the term visualization. The availability of inexpensive high-resolution display devices has made it possible to present information in a variety of pictorial, diagrammatic...