Automatic generation of interactive overview diagrams for the navigation of large graphs

ABSTRACT: A clustered graph can be used to build an abstract view of its non-clustered counterpart and reduce visual complexity. The classic approach to interaction with a clustered graph is limited in scalability and efficacy, underlining the need for an overview diagram. We present a technique for the automatic generation of an overview diagram based on hierarchical clustering and discuss its application to graphs. Hierarchical clustering induces a tree structure that is useful as a map to navigate the original data set. Because the resulting overview diagram is itself a graph, it can be manipulated by the same tools that are available for graphs.