Graph drawing can be thought of as a form of data visualization, but
unlike most other types of visualization the information to be
visualized is purely combinatorial, consisting of edges connecting a set
of vertices. Applications of graph drawing include genealogy, cartography
(subway maps
form one of the standard
examples of a graph drawing),
sociology,
software engineering (visualization of
connections between program modules), VLSI design, and
visualization of hypertext links. Typical
concerns of graph drawing algorithms are the area needed to draw a
graph, the types of edges (straight lines or bent), the number of edge
crossings for nonplanar graphs, separation of vertices and edges so they
can be distinguished visually, and preservation of properties such as
symmetry and distance. The area has a large literature, concentrated in
the annual Graph Drawing symposia, and I won't try to link here to all
available research projects and papers on the subject, only those with some
particular historical or application interest.
Atlas of science.
G. Edgar describes this project in which the publishers of Science
Citation Index use graph drawing techniques to clarify the relations
between different research specialties.
Graph
Drawing, Roberto Tamassia, Brown U.
This page contains pointers to a
long annotated bibliography, a graph drawing tutorial, and
information on the annual Graph Drawing conference.
