Data-Bound Graphic Objects for Dynamic Visualization Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for creating data visualizations are limited by rigidity in template tools, slowness and inaccuracies in manual drawing, and require programming expertise in coding, making it difficult for designers to express creativity and efficiently update visualizations with changing data.
Innovation Solution
Creating data-bound graphic objects within a graphical user interface, where visual properties of existing graphic objects are associated with data variables, allowing for automatic updates and flexible design without requiring extensive coding or manual object creation for each data observation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If template tools are used to create data visualizations, then the process is simplified and faster, but the design flexibility and creativity are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts between template-based automation and manual customization. Designers can start with pre-defined templates for quick visualization creation, then dynamically modify individual graphic objects' properties and data bindings to achieve custom designs, allowing the system to transition from rigid templates to flexible manual control as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The visualization is segmented into independent graphic objects, each with its own data binding configuration. This allows designers to selectively modify specific objects while maintaining the overall template structure, enabling localized customization without requiring complete manual recreation of the entire visualization.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual drawing is used to create data visualizations, then design flexibility is maximized, but the process becomes slow and prone to inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses template copies as a starting point for manual customization. Instead of creating visualizations from scratch, designers can copy pre-designed template structures and then manually adjust specific graphic objects' properties and data bindings, combining the efficiency of templates with the flexibility of manual drawing.
Solution Approach 2:
Templates provide preliminary structured frameworks with pre-configured graphic objects, data bindings, and visual properties. This preliminary setup eliminates the need to manually create basic structures, allowing designers to focus only on customizing specific elements rather than building everything from scratch.
3Adaptability or versatility
If coding is used to build data visualizations, then unique and customized visualizations can be created, but programming expertise is required and the process becomes difficult for non-programmers
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a visual configuration interface as an intermediary between the user and the underlying data visualization code. Designers can configure graphic objects' properties, data bindings, and behaviors through graphical controls and property panels without writing code, while the system automatically generates and manages the corresponding programmatic implementation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically generates and updates data binding configurations and visualization code based on designer interactions with the graphical interface. When designers modify graphic object properties or data associations through the interface, the system self-updates the underlying data structures and code, eliminating the need for manual coding while maintaining full customization capability.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional methods are used, then updates with changing data are difficult, but the initial creation process may be simpler
Solution Approach 1:
The system establishes bidirectional data binding between graphic objects and data sources. When underlying data changes, the system automatically detects these changes and updates the corresponding visualizations in real-time. This feedback mechanism ensures that visualizations remain synchronized with data without requiring manual intervention for updates.
Solution Approach 2:
Data bindings are configured to be dynamic and automatically responsive to data changes. The system continuously monitors data sources and automatically re-renders affected graphic objects when data updates occur, enabling easy adaptation to changing data while maintaining the simplicity of initial template-based creation.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for creating a plurality of data-bound graphic objects using an existing graphic object displayed within a graphical user interface. A visual property of an existing graphic object is selected and associated with a selected variable identified from a received data set. The data has a plurality of observations, each with a variable value for the selected variable. Once associated, additional graphic objects are created or adjusted to correspond to the observations in the data such that the additional graphic objects and the initial graphic object represent each observation in the data set. Further, property values of the selected visual property for each graphic object are determined by variable values of corresponding observations. Accordingly, the graphic objects have different appearances reflecting different variable values for all the observations in the data set.