Hoop Diagrams: A Set Visualization Method

Rodgers, Peter; Chapman, Peter; Blake, Andrew; Nollenburg, Martin; Wallinger, Markus; Dobler, Alexander

Abstract

We introduce Hoop Diagrams, a new visualization technique for set data. Hoop Diagrams are a circular visualization with hoops representing sets and sectors representing set intersections. We present an interactive tool for drawing Hoop Diagrams and describe a user study comparing them with Linear Diagrams. The results show only small differences, with users answering questions more quickly with Linear Diagrams, but answering some questions more accurately with Hoop Diagrams. Interaction data indicates that those using set order and intersection highlighting were more successful at answering questions, but those who used other interactions had a slower response. The similarity in usability suggests that the diagram type should be chosen based on the presentation method. Linear Diagrams increase in the horizontal direction with the number of intersections, leading to difficulties fitting on a screen. Hoop Diagrams always have a square aspect ratio.

Citation

Rodgers, P., Chapman, P., Blake, A., Nollenburg, M., Wallinger, M., & Dobler, A. (2024, September). Hoop Diagrams: A Set Visualization Method. Presented at 14th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams, Munster, Germany

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (published)
• Conference Name: 14th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams
• Start Date: Sep 27, 2024
• End Date: Oct 1, 2024
• Acceptance Date: Jun 16, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Sep 9, 2024
• Publication Date: 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 21, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 10, 2025
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Pages: 377-392
• Series Title: Lecture Notes in Computer Science
• Series Number: 14981
• Series ISSN: 0302-9743
• Book Title: Diagrammatic Representation and Inference
• ISBN: 9783031712906
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-71291-3_31
• Keywords: Hoop Diagrams; Linear Diagrams; Set Visualization
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/3686978
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/conference/diagrams