Constructing memorable asymmetric information diagrams in three dimensions
This paper presents a model for presenting relational information as a graph in three dimensions, where the emphasis is on the location of nodes by recognition of their locality in the drawing rather than the tracing of paths through the graph. The approach exploits the potential of 3D to present graphs with a high number of nodes specific to an individual user, such as a graph of web-page bookmarks. The key element is the creation of a memorable structure that contains a variety of sub-structures which act as reference points for the viewer as they manipulate their own viewpoint within the three dimensional virtual space of the graph layout. The layout algorithm used here challenges the need for an aesthetic of symmetry in graph drawing within 3D and exploits the user’s ability to recall sub-structures within a drawing to replace edge-tracing as the means for locating nodes in the drawing.