Infosthetics brings us a new method of visualizing large genealogy databases that was presented at Visweek this year. The original paper (download, view online) presents a method that can map thousands of individuals into a diagonal matrix view, with patterns indicating many interesting family structures.
Genealogies are represented in the form of a layered, diagonally-filled matrix, which eliminates crossings and accommodates very large datasets in the order of thousands of individuals. By depicting individuals as rows and families as columns, with parents always at a higher layer (generation) than their children, the visualization exhibits marriage and parent/children relationships, as well as other interesting relationships such as cross-generational and consanguine marriages.
If you just look at the sample chart above (of greek gods), you may not fully understand it. Watch the video below for a much better explanation.
via Research: GeneaQuilts – A System for Exploring Large Genealogies – information aesthetics.
