Ploceus: Modeling, visualizing, and analyzing tabular data as networks. (January 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liu, Zhicheng; Navathe, Shamkant B; Stasko, John T
• Is Part Of: Information visualization. Volume 13:Number 1(2014:Jan.)
• Page Start: 59
• Page End: 89
• Publication Date: 2014-01
• Subjects: Data transformations -- graph and network visualization -- multivariate data -- interaction design -- exploratory data analysis; Information visualization -- Periodicals; 006.605
• DOI: 10.1177/1473871613488591
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-8716

Abstract

Tabular data are pervasive. Although tables often describe multivariate data without explicit definitions of a network, it may be advantageous to explore the data by modeling it as a graph or network for analysis. Even when a given table design specifies a network structure, analysts may want to look at multiple networks from different perspectives, at different levels of abstraction, and with different edge semantics. We present a system called Ploceus that offers a general approach for performing multidimensional and multilevel network–based visual analysis on multivariate tabular data. Powered by an underlying relational algebraic framework, Ploceus supports flexible construction and transformation of networks through a direct manipulation interface and integrates dynamic network manipulation with visual exploration through immediate feedback mechanisms. We report our findings on the learnability and usability of Ploceus and propose a model of user actions in visualization construction using Ploceus.