Managing graph(ical) complexity with raisin and its category explorer

Abstract

Graphs offer a powerful way to view the relationships between objects. Yet, as useful as small graphs are for seeing relationships, large graphs are frustrating because their complexity overwhelms our ability to trace through patterns of relationships. The Raisin system helps manage this complexity by giving the means to layout a graph well; index a graph using categories based on structure and other criteria; highlight and abstract via selection, hiding, and aggregation; and create new categories that distill the user's conclusions for analysis and presentation. Copyright © ACM 2002.