TopiMaker%20

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TopiMaker An Implementation of a Novel Topic
Maps Visualization
David De Weerdt Rani Pinchuk Richard
Aked Juan-Jose de Orus Bernard Fontaine
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Outline

1. What is TopiMaker?
2. Visualization requirements
3. 2D in 3D world
4. Viewport, controls and camera movement
5. Ghosts as proxies
6. Exploiting the third dimension
7. Manipulating the Topic Map
8. Coping with information overload
9. Conclusion future work

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What is TopiMaker?

• Topic Map editor and viewer
• Developed by Space Applications Services
• Part of TopiWriter
• Alpha stage

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Visualization requirements
Representation requirements

• Variable level of detail
• Clustering of semantically close topics
• Highlighting of important parts
• Pleasant look
• Minimal change in the representation after Topic
  Map modification

Navigation requirements

• Information should be accessible, explorable,
  searchable quickly and intuitively
• Information overload or hidden information should
  be avoided
• For both novice and knowledgeable users

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2D plane in 3D world
No 3D cloud

• 3D cloud makes occlusion more likely

• Viewed from a distance, difference is small

• Degrees of freedom may obstruct construction of
  mental image

• Third dimension can be used for something else

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2D plane in 3D world (2)
Placing the topics on the 2D plane, issues

• Avoid overlapping topics
• Avoid crossing associations
• Maintain aesthetic properties such as symmetry
  and uniform distribution
• Speed
• Less relevant in TopiMaker though
• What happens when topics/associations are added
  or deleted?

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Ghosts

• Surrogate topics
• Visually distinct
• Behave equally

• Optionally accompanied by table with neighbors

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Exploiting the Third Dimension

• Bottom plane
• Top plane
• Middle plane
• Navigational aid

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Manipulating the Topic Map

• Adding/deleting topics or associations does not
  change layout
• New topics are placed in the center
• Layout can be changed manually (dragging)
• Layout can be recalculated completely

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Coping with information overload (2)
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Questions?
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Thank you for your attention