Swirl Interface Display for Hierarchical Organization Context
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Solution Overview
Problem
Displaying hierarchical organizations becomes challenging as dataset size grows, making it difficult to balance showing individual details while maintaining context within the hierarchy, often resulting in suppressed important details due to space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a processor, memory, and network interface to create a 'swirl' display that visualizes and navigates hierarchical organizations by representing groups as circles, allowing users to drill down into lower levels while maintaining context, with the ability to select individuals or groups for detailed information and metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the organization tree is reduced to fit on the screen, then the display can show the hierarchy structure, but important details of individual or group being examined are suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The organization tree is segmented into multiple hierarchical levels, with each level represented by a separate circular node. This segmentation allows the system to display the overall hierarchy structure while enabling users to expand individual nodes to view detailed information about specific groups or individuals without losing context of the larger organization structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested display structure where detailed information about individuals or groups is contained within hierarchical levels. Users can navigate from the overall organizational view down to detailed individual information and back, with each level nested within the previous one. This nesting allows both macro context and micro details to coexist in the display.
2Loss of information
If the tree is expanded to show more details, then individual information is improved, but the context of where it is within the hierarchy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The organizational structure is divided into discrete hierarchical segments represented as circular nodes. Each node can be independently expanded or collapsed, allowing users to view detailed information about a specific segment while maintaining visual awareness of its position within the larger hierarchical context through the connected node structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a traditional two-dimensional tree diagram to a multi-dimensional circular hierarchy display. This dimensional change allows for better spatial arrangement of hierarchical levels and enables users to navigate between detailed views and contextual views more effectively, maintaining both individual information and hierarchy context simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for displaying a hierarchical organization comprises a processor, memory, a data source, and a network interface. The processor is configured to receive an indication of a selected individual and provide a display. The display includes the selected individual within a group represented by a first circle. The display comprises one or more groups in the hierarchy, each represented by one of a set of circles above or below a level of the group that includes the individual. The memory is coupled to the processor and is configured to provide the processor with instructions. The data source comprises detailed information about the hierarchical organization and its members. The network interface is configured to communicate with remote devices requesting displays comprising selected individuals.