Tree-maps: a space-filling approach to the visualization of hierarchical information structures

TitleTree-maps: a space-filling approach to the visualization of hierarchical information structures
Publication TypeConference Papers
Year of Publication1991
AuthorsJohnson B, Shneiderman B
Conference Name, IEEE Conference on Visualization, 1991. Visualization '91, Proceedings
Date Published1991/10/22/25
PublisherIEEE
ISBN Number0-8186-2245-8
KeywordsComputer displays, Computer Graphics, Computer science, Data analysis, display space, Educational institutions, Feedback, hierarchical information structures, HUMANS, Laboratories, Libraries, Marine vehicles, rectangular region, semantic information, space-filling approach, tree-map visualization technique, trees (mathematics), Two dimensional displays, Visualization
Abstract

A method for visualizing hierarchically structured information is described. The tree-map visualization technique makes 100% use of the available display space, mapping the full hierarchy onto a rectangular region in a space-filling manner. This efficient use of space allows very large hierarchies to be displayed in their entirety and facilitates the presentation of semantic information. Tree-maps can depict both the structure and content of the hierarchy. However, the approach is best suited to hierarchies in which the content of the leaf nodes and the structure of the hierarchy are of primary importance, and the content information associated with internal nodes is largely derived from their children

DOI10.1109/VISUAL.1991.175815