Focus tool for complex concept maps

[richard_stahlhut@…]

Hi Glen,

Tons of thoughts below regarding my need for concept mapping and a "focus" function.

First, a random note: I'd probably use your iphone tool more often to navigate an existing network (DOT; graphviz) rather than create one (if I can focus on a node -- see below). The ability to edit this map on the phone (and port it back to graphviz) might be helpful too.

Now, to the big comment:

I'm currently using graphviz (coupled with a Filemaker database of nodes and links that generate DOT code) to create a large concept map. the map captures the complex relationships within and between obesity and diabetes concepts, such that I can pick a node (or 2 or 3) and pull out the nodes that are one or two layers out -- in order to see relationships that I can't memorize.

But a graphic interface in graphviz or your iphone tool would be much better way to do this.

Weaknesses in the concept mapping tools I could find drove me to write my own database/DOT code generator and couple it to graphviz. The worst problem was the inability of other tools to Focus (as above).

Most concept mapping tools seem to handle complexity by creating submaps -- but that doesn't work for me, because nature insists on having edges between nodes buried within the submaps. So for instance, suppose I had a Liver submap and a Fat submap (and heart and ...) -- with edges between these submaps. Invariably, i'd find that leptin (from fat) directly affects some specific thing in the liver -- say cholesterol production, BUT not every function of the liver. So the submap approach fails instantly.

BUT, if you can create a huge concept map, and then choose a node or two to focus on, then you'd be cooking. I do this with the database, but easier would be to be looking at the map, graphically select a node (or 2 or 3), and Focus on it (out to 1 or 2 levels).

See attached files. Map 1 is the fat-produced hormone "adiponectin", with one level focus. Map 2 is adiponectin with 2 level focus. Map 3 is the whole thing (so far, with much much more to go). You can see the problem.

Another possible feature, though lower priority, would be the ability to pick a couple nodes and find the shortest paths between them. A little A* search (do they still call it that?).

My hope would be that graphviz would be the main way to roll this out. I need the pixels. But if I could port a DOT over to the iphone app, and then focus there too, that would be exceptionally useful as well.

thanks for your efforts. Great stuff. Feel free to ask for more examples of this problem and how I use the tool now.

- Rick

[richard_stahlhut@…]

Adiponectin with nodes 1 edge away

[richard_stahlhut@…]

Adiponectin with nodes 2 edge away

[richard_stahlhut@…]

Entire map (with miles to go before I sleep)

[mcmancini@…]

Would it be useful to have some sort of magnifying tool, so that you could click a node or two, and see what connects to them? Maybe as a tree list?

[richard_stahlhut@…]

Yes to McMancini? --> a magnifying tool could be the metaphor to make it work.

But I don't think you'd get a tree out of it though unless you limited yourself to one edge away from one focus node. Look at "adiponectin 2.pdf" and you'll see that the graph encompassing 2 edges out from one node is not just hierarchical. It's a (smaller, but still big) interconnected graph.