Graphically displaying data having complex relationships
A method for generating a visual illustration of data organized in a multiway graph is provided. In an embodiment, a computer system maintains a plurality of nodes and edges within a multiway graph and displays a visual user interface with a first node positioned at the center of the visual user interface and child nodes positioned at radially symmetric positions surrounding the first node. The computer system receives a first input that specifies a selection of a first child node. In response to receiving the first input, the computer system updates the visual user interface to display: the first node, positioned at the center; the child nodes, positioned at radially symmetric positions surrounding the first node; the first child node positioned below the first node; and grandchild nodes of the first child node, displayed as polygons positioned at radially symmetric positions around a circular area surrounding the child nodes.
1. A computer-implemented method for visually displaying on a computer display device data that is organized in digital computer memory as a multiway graph, comprising:
maintaining in the digital computer memory, within the multiway graph, a plurality of nodes and a plurality of edges, wherein each node in the plurality of nodes represents a respective entity of a plurality of entities and is connected to one or more neighbor nodes with one or more edges of the plurality of edges;
displaying, in a visual user interface of the computer display device:
a first node positioned at a center of the visual user interface, and
one or more child nodes, which are direct neighbor nodes of the first node, wherein the child nodes are each positioned at radially symmetric positions surrounding the first node;
receiving, using the visual user interface, a first input that specifies a selection of a first child node from the one or more child nodes; and
in response to receiving the first input, updating the visual user interface to display:
the first node positioned at the center of the visual user interface,
the one or more child nodes, other than the first child node, each positioned at radially symmetric positions around a first common circular area surrounding the first node, and
one or more first grandchild nodes, which are direct neighbor nodes of the first child node, other than the first node, each positioned at radially symmetric positions around a second common circular area surrounding the one or more child nodes, and
the first child node is positioned in the second common circular area surrounding the one or more child nodes.