SpicyNodes
Encyclopedia
In concept mapping and information visualization
, SpicyNodes is a method for displaying hierarchical data in which a focus node displays rich information, and the surrounding nodes display related information (Focus + Context
).
Research by the project team shows that it is particularly effective for users who tend to learn kinesthetically and remember visually. Research by others is investigating whether interactive mapping is useful for evaluating projects,
as well as conducting usability research on this system to research the role of evaluating learning styles
as part of usability testing
of visualization
projects.
The key disadvantages are: (a) Nodes require physical space, so typical implementation requires an average of 2-10 linked/child nodes per node. Too few, and the layout becomes a string of pearls. Too many, and the nodes can not fit. (b) Node layouts are inefficient for reading contiguous pieces of content in a linear manner.
. Typically these do not allow the end user to change focus from node to node. For display, there is analogous software for moving node to node, including Visual Thesaurus from ThinkMap, TuneGlue, Lexipedia
, and Prefuse Flare
, and the Discovr
apps. (The Discovr app, which also uses radial layouts, with a different layout algorithm which is primarily force-based.)
layouts, which are modified using force-based algorithms, and an overall oval bias to account for the fact that text is usually wider than it is high. The algorithms are published and open for use by any projects. It shares the approach of hyperbolic trees of reducing the size and distance between nodes which are far from the focus node.
Interactive layouts based on interconnected nodes, with radial tree
format and additional optimizations, such as force-based repulsion between nodes so they do not overlap. The layout is adaptive, changing as the user clicks from node to node, which avoids cluttering. Each node can contain formatted text, images, videos, links to other nodes, or links to web pages. There is a "focus" node, and users change focus
from node to node.
The algorithm was developed by Michael Douma and colleagues at IDEA.org
, starting in 2005. The basis of the layout change algorithm is based on the work of Yee and his associates, and the underlying mechanics has been further described in papers and talks at conferences on Information visualization
, on Museums and the Web
, and on distance education
.
The visualization also has coverage in secondary sources.
Information visualization
Information visualization is the interdisciplinary study of "the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-numerical information, such as files and lines of code in software systems, library and bibliographic databases, networks of relations on the internet, and so forth".- Overview...
, SpicyNodes is a method for displaying hierarchical data in which a focus node displays rich information, and the surrounding nodes display related information (Focus + Context
Focus-plus-context screen
A focus-plus-context screen is a specialized type of display device that consists of one or more high-resolution "focus" displays embedded into a larger low-resolution "context" display...
).
Main idea
SpicyNodes displays a central node (which can be any size), orbited by a set of related (child) nodes. Each of those child nodes can be linked to other child nodes. As the user navigates through a sea of nodes, a root path can trace the path back to the home node. In a typical implementation, only the child and parent nodes are displayed, so while the user browses, nodes appear and disappear, and the layout rearranges to fit, so that at any time, only related nodes are displayed. It has been used for virtual exhibits, to display dynamic poetry,, and can also be run as a form of slide show where each node corresponds to a slide.Advantages & disadvantages
The key advantage of SpicyNodes is that it's a visual way to display linked information that allows a user to browse from node to node. Radial layouts are effective for browsing and for descending into a tree to find specific information, since the number of nodes increases exponentially with the number of orbits, a user can find a piece of information in only N clicks/taps, while navigating a space of XN nodes, where X=average nodes per orbit.Research by the project team shows that it is particularly effective for users who tend to learn kinesthetically and remember visually. Research by others is investigating whether interactive mapping is useful for evaluating projects,
as well as conducting usability research on this system to research the role of evaluating learning styles
Learning styles
Learning styles are various approaches or ways of learning. They involve educating methods, particular to an individual, that are presumed to allow that individual to learn best. Most people prefer an identifiable method of interacting with, taking in, and processing stimuli or information...
as part of usability testing
Usability testing
Usability testing is a technique used in user-centered interaction design to evaluate a product by testing it on users. This can be seen as an irreplaceable usability practice, since it gives direct input on how real users use the system...
of visualization
Information visualization
Information visualization is the interdisciplinary study of "the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-numerical information, such as files and lines of code in software systems, library and bibliographic databases, networks of relations on the internet, and so forth".- Overview...
projects.
The key disadvantages are: (a) Nodes require physical space, so typical implementation requires an average of 2-10 linked/child nodes per node. Too few, and the layout becomes a string of pearls. Too many, and the nodes can not fit. (b) Node layouts are inefficient for reading contiguous pieces of content in a linear manner.
Implementations
- Early proof-of-concept as a genealogical browser of the Greek GodsFamily tree of the Greek godsKey: The essential Olympians' names are given in bold font.Key: The Names marked in green are the titans...
. Released March 2006 in the WebExhibits online museum.
- Used as part of a mashup in a Master's Degree thesis that dealt with browsing ideas, in 2007.
- Virtual exhibit navigation, for three online exhibits (e.g., Daylight Saving Time, Calendars, Poetry forms) released in 2008 in the WebExhibits online museum.
- A web-based service, for the public to author, available as a Software as a serviceSoftware as a ServiceSoftware as a service , sometimes referred to as "on-demand software," is a software delivery model in which software and its associated data are hosted centrally and are typically accessed by users using a thin client, normally using a web browser over the Internet.SaaS has become a common...
. This service was hosted at a like-named domain name, and had both free and paid versions. Built on Adobe FlashAdobe FlashAdobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
. It was developed by IDEA.orgInstitute for Dynamic Educational AdvancementThe Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to improve scientific and cultural literacy among the general public...
, and launched in 2009. This web-based service had over 50,000 members as of May 2011, who have authored and created nodemaps based on their own content. It has an open APIOpen APIOpen API is a word used to describe sets of technologies that enable websites to interact with each other by using REST, SOAP, JavaScript and other web technologies...
. Received a "Best Website for Teaching and Learning" award in 2011 from American Association of School Librarians (AASL)American Association of School LibrariansThe American Association of School Librarians has been a division of the American Library Association since 1951. Prior to that, school librarians were served by the School Library Section of ALA founded in 1914 which itself emerged from the Roundtable of Normal and High School Librarians which...
, and voted #edchat's 35 Best Web 2.0 Classroom Tools in 2010. It has been used for presentations in professional conferences and meetings. There are third party guides, reviews regarding general usage, and instructional design. This is the most well-known implementation of SpicyNodes.
- The first multitouch implementation of SpicyNodes was as part of the WikiNodesWikiNodesWikiNodes is an app for the Apple iPad built by IDEA.org. WikiNodes was the first tablet app for browsing Wikipedia using a radial tree approach to visualize how articles and subsections of articles are interrelated...
multitouch Wikipedia browser for the Apple iPadIPadThe iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
, and launched in April 2011..
Related, but different implementations
For authoring, there are related mind mapping and concept mapping products, such as FreeMindFreeMind
FreeMind is a free mind mapping application written in Java. FreeMind is licensed under the GNU General Public License. It provides extensive export capabilities. It runs on Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X via the Java Runtime Environment....
. Typically these do not allow the end user to change focus from node to node. For display, there is analogous software for moving node to node, including Visual Thesaurus from ThinkMap, TuneGlue, Lexipedia
Lexipedia
Lexipedia is an online visual semantic network with dictionary and thesaurus reference functionality built on Vantage Learning's Multilingual ConceptNet. Lexipedia presents words with their semantic relationships displayed in an animated visual word web. Lexipedia supports English, Dutch,...
, and Prefuse Flare
Prefuse
Prefuse is a Java-based toolkit for building interactive information visualization applications. It supports a rich set of features for data modeling, visualization and interaction...
, and the Discovr
Discovr
Discovr are a series of apps for the Apple iPad by Jammbox which are characterized by using nodes to represent relationships between media. As of June 2011, there are two apps, for browsing music and apps....
apps. (The Discovr app, which also uses radial layouts, with a different layout algorithm which is primarily force-based.)
Algorithm
The basic layout algorithms involve radial treesRadial tree
A radial tree, or "radial map", is a method of displaying a tree structure in a way that expands outwards, radially. It is one of many ways to visually display a tree., with examples extending back to the early 20th century...
layouts, which are modified using force-based algorithms, and an overall oval bias to account for the fact that text is usually wider than it is high. The algorithms are published and open for use by any projects. It shares the approach of hyperbolic trees of reducing the size and distance between nodes which are far from the focus node.
Interactive layouts based on interconnected nodes, with radial tree
Radial tree
A radial tree, or "radial map", is a method of displaying a tree structure in a way that expands outwards, radially. It is one of many ways to visually display a tree., with examples extending back to the early 20th century...
format and additional optimizations, such as force-based repulsion between nodes so they do not overlap. The layout is adaptive, changing as the user clicks from node to node, which avoids cluttering. Each node can contain formatted text, images, videos, links to other nodes, or links to web pages. There is a "focus" node, and users change focus
Focus (computing)
In computing, the focus indicates the component of the graphical user interface which is currently selected to receive input. Text entered at the keyboard or pasted from a clipboard is sent to the component which currently has the focus. Moving the focus away from a specific user interface element...
from node to node.
The algorithm was developed by Michael Douma and colleagues at IDEA.org
Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement
The Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to improve scientific and cultural literacy among the general public...
, starting in 2005. The basis of the layout change algorithm is based on the work of Yee and his associates, and the underlying mechanics has been further described in papers and talks at conferences on Information visualization
Information visualization
Information visualization is the interdisciplinary study of "the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-numerical information, such as files and lines of code in software systems, library and bibliographic databases, networks of relations on the internet, and so forth".- Overview...
, on Museums and the Web
Museums and the Web
The annual Museums and the Web conference is the leading international conference in the field of museums and their websites. It has been organized by Archives & Museum Informatics each Spring in North America since 1997.- Overview :...
, and on distance education
Distance education
Distance education or distance learning is a field of education that focuses on teaching methods and technology with the aim of delivering teaching, often on an individual basis, to students who are not physically present in a traditional educational setting such as a classroom...
.
The visualization also has coverage in secondary sources.
See also
- Radial treeRadial treeA radial tree, or "radial map", is a method of displaying a tree structure in a way that expands outwards, radially. It is one of many ways to visually display a tree., with examples extending back to the early 20th century...
- the general type of layout algorithm - IDEA.orgInstitute for Dynamic Educational AdvancementThe Institute for Dynamic Educational Advancement is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that seeks to improve scientific and cultural literacy among the general public...
- the organization that researched and developed the method.