Many-to-Many Relational Parallel Coordinates Displays

An interesting property of the commonly used parallel coordinates display is the distinct overall pattern formed by the totality of lines between adjacent axes. These patterns have a direct correspondence to the type of relationship existing between the variables mapped onto the axes in question as well as a salient visual appearance. Parallel coordinates displays can therefore be used to visually investigate relationships between variables as well as investigating individual objects/lines. The problem with this approach is that, whereas each object is mapped in its entirety in a standard parallel coordinates display, only a small subset of the interrelations between variables is shown as the number of variables increase. To show all possible relations between variables multiple parallel coordinates displays are needed. In turn this means that each variable is duplicated several times, once per extra parallel coordinates display. To a viewer this increases the visual complexity and most probably the mental load. To aid users we have devised a new configuration of the axes in multiple parallel coordinates displays. Through an experiment we have also started to investigate the usability of this new configuration and the results are promising.