Visualizing Multidimensional Query Results Using Animation

Effective representation of large, complex collections of information (Datasets) presents a difficult challenge. Visualization is a solution that uses a visual interface to support efficient analysis and discovery within the data. The primary goal in this paper is a technique that allows viewers to compare multiple query results representing user-selected subsets of a multidimensional dataset. The authors present an algorithm that visualizes multidimensional information along a space-filling spiral. Graphical glyphs that vary their position, color, and texture appearance are used to represent attribute values for the data elements in each query result. Guidelines from human perception allow one to construct glyphs that are specifically designed to support exploration, facilitate the discovery of trends and relationships both within and between data elements, and highlight exceptions.