A universal grammar for specifying visualization types

Yuri Engelhardt; Clive Richards

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40

A universal grammar for specifying visualization types

Yuri Engelhardt^*, Clive Richards

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

112 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A ‘universal grammar’ for the full spectrum of visualization types is discussed. The grammar enables the analysis of any type of visualization regarding its syntactic constituents, such as the types of visual encodings and visual components that are used. Such an analysis of a type of visualization, describing its compositional syntax, can be represented as a specification tree. Colour coded tree branches between constituent types enforce the combination rules visually. We discuss how these specification trees differ from linguistic parse trees, and how visual statements differ from verbal statements. The grammar offers a basis for generating visualization options, and the potential for formalization and for machine-readable specifications. This may serve as a basis for a system providing computer-generated visualization advice.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings
Editors	Amrita Basu, Gem Stapleton, Sven Linker, Catherine Legg, Emmanuel Manalo, Petrucio Viana
Publisher	Springer
Pages	395-403
Number of pages	9
ISBN (Print)	9783030860615
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40
Publication status	Published - 21 Sept 2021
Event	12th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams, Diagrams 2021 - Virtual, Online Duration: 28 Sept 2021 → 30 Sept 2021 Conference number: 12

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	12909 LNAI
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	12th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams, Diagrams 2021
Abbreviated title	Diagrams 2021
City	Virtual, Online
Period	28/09/21 → 30/09/21

Keywords

Comparing verbal and visual statements
Comparing visualization types
Specification trees of visualization types
Syntax of diagrams
Visual encodings
Visualization types
Visually enforced syntax rules

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10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40Licence: CC BY

Engelhardt-2021-A-universal-grammar-for-specifying-Final published version, 2.39 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Engelhardt, Y., & Richards, C. (2021). A universal grammar for specifying visualization types. In A. Basu, G. Stapleton, S. Linker, C. Legg, E. Manalo, & P. Viana (Eds.), Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings (pp. 395-403). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 12909 LNAI). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40

Engelhardt, Yuri ; Richards, Clive. / A universal grammar for specifying visualization types. Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings. editor / Amrita Basu ; Gem Stapleton ; Sven Linker ; Catherine Legg ; Emmanuel Manalo ; Petrucio Viana. Springer, 2021. pp. 395-403 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

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abstract = "A {\textquoteleft}universal grammar{\textquoteright} for the full spectrum of visualization types is discussed. The grammar enables the analysis of any type of visualization regarding its syntactic constituents, such as the types of visual encodings and visual components that are used. Such an analysis of a type of visualization, describing its compositional syntax, can be represented as a specification tree. Colour coded tree branches between constituent types enforce the combination rules visually. We discuss how these specification trees differ from linguistic parse trees, and how visual statements differ from verbal statements. The grammar offers a basis for generating visualization options, and the potential for formalization and for machine-readable specifications. This may serve as a basis for a system providing computer-generated visualization advice.",

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Engelhardt, Y & Richards, C 2021, A universal grammar for specifying visualization types. in A Basu, G Stapleton, S Linker, C Legg, E Manalo & P Viana (eds), Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 12909 LNAI, Springer, pp. 395-403, 12th International Conference on the Theory and Application of Diagrams, Diagrams 2021, Virtual, Online, 28/09/21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40

A universal grammar for specifying visualization types. / Engelhardt, Yuri; Richards, Clive.
Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings. ed. / Amrita Basu; Gem Stapleton; Sven Linker; Catherine Legg; Emmanuel Manalo; Petrucio Viana. Springer, 2021. p. 395-403 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 12909 LNAI).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › Academic › peer-review

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N2 - A ‘universal grammar’ for the full spectrum of visualization types is discussed. The grammar enables the analysis of any type of visualization regarding its syntactic constituents, such as the types of visual encodings and visual components that are used. Such an analysis of a type of visualization, describing its compositional syntax, can be represented as a specification tree. Colour coded tree branches between constituent types enforce the combination rules visually. We discuss how these specification trees differ from linguistic parse trees, and how visual statements differ from verbal statements. The grammar offers a basis for generating visualization options, and the potential for formalization and for machine-readable specifications. This may serve as a basis for a system providing computer-generated visualization advice.

AB - A ‘universal grammar’ for the full spectrum of visualization types is discussed. The grammar enables the analysis of any type of visualization regarding its syntactic constituents, such as the types of visual encodings and visual components that are used. Such an analysis of a type of visualization, describing its compositional syntax, can be represented as a specification tree. Colour coded tree branches between constituent types enforce the combination rules visually. We discuss how these specification trees differ from linguistic parse trees, and how visual statements differ from verbal statements. The grammar offers a basis for generating visualization options, and the potential for formalization and for machine-readable specifications. This may serve as a basis for a system providing computer-generated visualization advice.

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Engelhardt Y, Richards C. A universal grammar for specifying visualization types. In Basu A, Stapleton G, Linker S, Legg C, Manalo E, Viana P, editors, Diagrammatic Representation and Inference - 12th International Conference, Diagrams 2021, Proceedings. Springer. 2021. p. 395-403. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-86062-2_40

A universal grammar for specifying visualization types

Abstract

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Keywords

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