DEVise uses a relational data model to coordinate multiple views of large datasets. Users can create, destroy, coordinate, and specify the contents of views interactively. Its only view — the scatterplot — and few coordination types — cursor, visual link, record link, and set link — are quite powerful. However, reproducing common visualization constructions in DEVise frequently involves convoluted chains of linked scatterplots (many of which are undesirable artifacts that must be intentionally hidden offscreen). Coordination graphs of DEVise visualizations reveal that all four coordination types can be reproduced by treating the X and Y ranges of scatterplots as shared objects or as dynamic parameters in simple query expressions. This discovery motivated the design of live properties and coordinated queries in Improvise. The visualization shown here was the first of two used in this discovery process.

This visualization shows the coordination structure of DEVise visualizations (called sessions). The data is generated using a feature in DEVise that allows the user to export a text description of the views and links of a session.

The user starts by selecting a DEVise session from the list. The table view shows all the views and links in the session, color-coded on type. The graph view displays a coordination graph of the session, showing views and links and nodes and the dependencies between them as edges. Clouds surround groups of nodes that represent views which share dependence on a particular link. Checkboxes let the users pick which nodes and edges to show in the graph.

Visualization (40 KB)
Video Tour (1.8 MB)