Loop display

Feedback loop analysis in the Encyclopedia Project (Part #4)

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Users are able to manipulate both of the above displays. The elements of the Java spring map can be dragged to redispose them. The same is true of the three-dimensional virtual reality display, which in this case is dynamic. Clicking on the nodes in either display will open a window with the corresponding profile text from the database.

3-D display of loops for the Problem "Deforestation". Each node is a Problem in the loop. [Clicking on a node opens the Problem profile in the interactive variant]

At the close of this project work, the loop detection program successfully explored 1,239,769,768 chains of relationships in the Problems file to detect 51,555 loops (of up to 9 elements) in 12,397 Problem profiles (types B,C,D,E,F -- the more general categories). This took only 500 hours of computer time. The results were as indicated in Column 4 of the table above.

Having proved the possibility of identifying such cycles, the question raised was how this information could be best portrayed through various mapping techniques. One attractive option is to map the circles around the surface of a sphere with whatever interlocking the data implies.

In anticipation of such expertise, during the final phase of the project, several approaches were taken to facilitate user visualization of loops from the profile of any selected entry that was part of a loop). This work drew from complementary work in the concerned with "Graphics and Visualization" (Section 16: Multimedia visualization). As presented online at the culmination of this project, users can choose between the following presentations:

Tabular presentation: Users have a choice of two sets of tables:

• Aggravated problems: Presents an array of cells in a first table, coloured to give the user a sense of the pattern of links from the selected problem, with a second table as a key to the first. Users can click from there to a similar table focusing on any selected problem in the array. Unfortunately because of technical constraints in the construction of the HTML page, the number of loops presented in this way is currently limited.
• Aggravating problems: Since problem relationships are reciprocal, a second set of tables allows users to explore the reverse set of relationships in a similar manner.

Java spring map: Users have the option of selecting a spring map presentation, generated in response to the user request, restricted to problem loops. This can be used as an access interface to other such maps or to individual profiles of problems identified as nodes in the display.

Virtual reality display: Users have the option of selecting a virtual reality display, generated in response to the user request, restricted to problem loops. This presents a limited number of loops with which the selected problem is associated. The concern here was to demonstrate the viability of allowing users to generate and explore loops in this mode. As with Java map, users could then click into a text profile of any problem in a loop. Of special interest is the relative ease with which different display metaphors could be designed. The challenge is effectively switched to the question of which design metaphors provide the most additional meaning.

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