This document discusses creating interactive graph visualizations. It describes Cambridge Intelligence, which builds tools to visualize networks on any browser or device. KeyLines allows end users to understand data relationships, while Neo4j Browser is for developers. Visualizations better convey data structure and relationships. They are used in finance, IT, government, and oil/gas for tasks like fraud detection and network topology. Effective visualizations use visual properties like colors, sizes and glyphs on nodes and edges. Interactivity allows users to query, animate, layout, explore, expand, combine and filter the data. Dangers include issues with uniqueness, structure rigidity, overwhelming the user, and being too clever.

1. Creating Interactive Graph
Visualizations
Corey Lanum

2. Cambridge Intelligence
Founded May 2011
We build tools to visualize networks
We run on almost any browser and any device

3. KeyLines vs. Neo4j Browser
• The Neo4j browser is a great tool for
developers and data architects to
understand their data model
• KeyLines is a customizable tool to allow
an application’s end users to understand
the relationships in the data itself

4. Purpose of Visualization
• To better understand the structure of the
data that you are collecting
• To better understand the relationships
contained in the data that you are
collecting

5. KeyLines and Neo4j

6. Who uses graph visualization?
• Finance and Insurance
– Fraud discovery and investigation
– Regulatory compliance
• Information Technology
– Network Topology
– Risk Assessment
• Government
– Defense and Intelligence
– Law Enforcement
• Oil and Gas
– Physical Infrastructure

7. Creating Visualizations
• Convey Information
Through Visual Properties
– Nodes
•
•
•
•
Images or Icons
Colors
Sizes
Glyphs
– Edges
• Colors
• Width

8. Adding Interactivity
• Query
• Animate
– Changes to the chart should be animated so that the user doesn’t lose
track of nodes
• Layout
– The user should be provided with multiple layout options to see what
best organizes the data
• Explore
– The user needs to be able to inspect non-visual properties of the nodes
and edges
• Expand
– The user needs to be able to add additional data to the visualization
• Combine and Filter
– Not every data element needs to be drawn on the chart at once

9. Visualization Dangers
• Uniqueness
– Node identifier versus label text
• Structural rigidity
– How you store your data may not be how your
users think about the data
• Overwhelming the user with data
• Trying to be too clever

10. Thanks!
corey@cambridge-intelligence.com
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