Visualizing High-Dimensional Graph Embeddings via Informed Multi-View Projections

2026-06-30

AI Summary

Traditional two-dimensional graph visualizations struggle to simultaneously preserve high-dimensional structural fidelity, aesthetic quality, and readability. This work proposes a novel approach that integrates high-dimensional graph embeddings with differentiable optimization. By introducing a differentiable proxy for edge crossings and jointly optimizing visual criteria such as angular resolution, the method searches for informative two-dimensional views within a multi-view projection space. The accompanying interactive system, DataFly, enables users to explore latent structures effectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the generated layouts surpass standard graph drawing techniques in both aesthetics and readability, and even outperform methods specifically tailored to optimize individual visual metrics. A user study further confirms the approach’s efficacy in revealing complex graph structures.

Abstract

Graphs are commonly visualized in 2D, where humans readily interpret spatial relationships, yet such layouts often distort higher-dimensional structure. We propose to embed graphs in high-dimensional space and search for informative 2D viewpoints that optimize aesthetic and readability metrics (e.g., edge crossings and angular resolution), enabled by a novel differentiable surrogate for edge crossings. Numerical experiments show that these viewpoints consistently outperform standard 2D layouts, and can even surpass methods explicitly designed to optimize these metrics. We further introduce DataFly, an interactive system for exploring multiple candidate viewpoints through seamless navigation. A usability study demonstrates that our approach reveals structural patterns that remain hidden in conventional 2D visualizations.

Problem

• graph visualization
• high-dimensional embeddings
• 2D projection
• structural distortion
• readability

Innovation

• differentiable surrogate
• high-dimensional graph embedding
• multi-view projection
• graph visualization
• interactive exploration