Types of Visualization(2)

 Bilal Hussain Malik

19/04/25

                                                            Types of Visualization

                                                      Graphs (Network Diagrams)

Network graphs or diagrams are employed to show relationships between objects using nodes (points) and edges (lines). Nodes represent every individual object, i.e., a person, web page, or computer, and edges represent relations or interactions between them. Such representations play an important role in understanding complex networks such as social media interactions, communication networks, citation networks, or transit networks. For example, a social network graph can show users as nodes and friendships as edges and can show groups, influencers, or isolates. Graphs can be directed (where relations have direction) or undirected. 

They can have attributes such as weight (importance or frequency of relationship) and can be enriched with color, size, or animation to encode meaning. These visualizations help find clusters, spot anomalies, and understand overall structure. Force-directed layouts are commonly employed, with nodes pushing and edges pulling, giving an organic look that highlights network relations organically. Network graphs are often interactive since they're complex, where one can zoom in, filter, or drill down to sub-networks. Gephi, Cytoscape, and D3.js are some of the common tools used to make such visualizations. Graphs as a whole are crucial to navigate and understand systems wherein relations take precedence over individual data points.