Beyond the Node-Link Diagram

Abstract

Abstract This chapter gives an overview over visualization techniques beyond the node-link diagram. Node-link diagrams are by far the most common visual representation to visualize networks, showing nodes as points, and links as lines or arcs between them. However, with increasing size of a network, as well as data about time and temporal change, geography, or other attributes about node and links, alternative representations are required. Starting from a discussion of the problems of visualizing dense networks through node-link diagrams (i.e. hairballs), this chapter discusses a range of alternatives to node-link diagrams: adjacency matrices to compare networks and visualize multivariate networks; techniques for networks with different node and link types; networks with quantitative attributes on nodes, Ontologies, networks changing over time, and geographic networks. The chapter concludes with a pointer to common network visualization tools and a discussion of how to choose among the wide range of visualization techniques.