User-Guided Force-Directed Graph Layout

TL;DR

This paper introduces a user-guided force-directed graph layout method that allows intuitive control through freehand sketches, improving interpretability of relational data visualizations.

Contribution

It presents a novel approach combining sketch-based input with classical image analysis to guide graph layout generation.

Findings

Effective in producing user-aligned graph layouts

Works on various real and synthetic graphs

Open-source implementation available

Abstract

Visual analysis of relational data is essential for many real-world analytics tasks, with layout quality being key to interpretability. However, existing layout algorithms often require users to navigate complex parameters to express their intent. We present a user-guided force-directed layout approach that enables intuitive control through freehand sketching. Our method uses classical image analysis techniques to extract structural information from sketches, which is then used to generate positional constraints that guide the layout process. We evaluate the approach on various real and synthetic graphs ranging from small to medium scale, demonstrating its ability to produce layouts aligned with user expectations. An implementation of our method along with documentation and a demo page is freely available on GitHub at https://github.com/sciluna/uggly.