A toolkit to support dynamic social network visualization

Abstract

In this paper we introduce the design, implementation and evaluation of the Dynamic Visualization Toolkit (DyVT) to support complex dynamic social network visualization. Dynamic aspects of social networks such as spatiotemporal as well as personalized information can be visualized in a common toolkit. To that end, an XML-based target language DyVTML is an extension of existing schemata enabling expression, storage and interchange of rich animated social network data. With the language and the available tool support, even less-experienced users can visualize temporal data in animations and spatial data in maps and personalize it with icons and colors. The prototype is evaluated by the visualization of large mailing list data sets. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.