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ZigzagNetVis: Suggesting Temporal Resolutions for Graph Visualization Using Zigzag Persistence

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Author(s):
Tinarrage, Raphael ; Ponciano, Jean R. ; Linhares, Claudio D. G. ; Traina, Agma J. M. ; Poco, Jorge
Total Authors: 5
Document type: Journal article
Source: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON VISUALIZATION AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS; v. 31, n. 10, p. 18-pg., 2025-10-01.
Abstract

Temporal graphs are commonly used to represent complex systems and track the evolution of their constituents over time. Visualizing these graphs is crucial as it allows one to quickly identify anomalies, trends, patterns, and other properties that facilitate better decision-making. In this context, selecting an appropriate temporal resolution is essential for constructing and visually analyzing the layout. The choice of resolution is particularly important, especially when dealing with temporally sparse graphs. In such cases, changing the temporal resolution by grouping events (i.e., edges) from consecutive timestamps - a technique known as timeslicing - can aid in the analysis and reveal patterns that might not be discernible otherwise. However, selecting an appropriate temporal resolution is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose ZigzagNetVis, a methodology that suggests temporal resolutions potentially relevant for analyzing a given graph, i.e., resolutions that lead to substantial topological changes in the graph structure. ZigzagNetVis achieves this by leveraging zigzag persistent homology, a well-established technique from Topological Data Analysis (TDA). To improve visual graph analysis, ZigzagNetVis incorporates the colored barcode, a novel timeline-based visualization inspired by persistence barcodes commonly used in TDA. We also contribute with a web-based system prototype that implements suggestion methodology and visualization tools. Finally, we demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of ZigzagNetVis through a usage scenario, a user study with 27 participants, and a detailed quantitative evaluation. (AU)

FAPESP's process: 22/13190-1 - Visualization of semantic and temporal networks to support understand medical and scientific data
Grantee:Jean Roberto Ponciano
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 20/07200-9 - Analyzing complex data from COVID-19 to support decision making and prognosis
Grantee:Agma Juci Machado Traina
Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
FAPESP's process: 23/18026-8 - Center for Data Science in Public Statistics
Grantee:Carlos Eduardo Torres Freire
Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Science Centers for Development
FAPESP's process: 21/07012-0 - Data-driven intelligence for urban crime analysis and perception
Grantee:Jorge Luis Poco Medina
Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
FAPESP's process: 20/10049-0 - Complex networks and content-based image retrieval supported by selective visual attention features
Grantee:Cláudio Douglas Gouveia Linhares
Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
FAPESP's process: 16/17078-0 - Mining, indexing and visualizing Big Data in clinical decision support systems (MIVisBD)
Grantee:Agma Juci Machado Traina
Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants