BioVis Explorer: A visual guide for biological data visualization techniques

Andreas Kerren,Kostiantyn Kucher,Falk Schreiber,Yuan-Fang Li,Bin Liu

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0187341

Andreas Kerren, Kostiantyn Kucher + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187341

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Abstract

Data visualization is of increasing importance in the Biosciences. During the past 15 years, a great number of novel methods and tools for the visualization of biological data have been developed and published in various journals and conference proceedings. As a consequence, keeping an overview of state-of-the-art visualization research has become increasingly challenging for both biology researchers and visualization researchers. To address this challenge, we have reviewed visualization research especially performed for the Biosciences and created an interactive web-based visualization tool, the BioVis Explorer. BioVis Explorer allows the exploration of published visualization methods in interactive and intuitive ways, including faceted browsing and associations with related methods. The tool is publicly available online and has been designed as community-based system which allows users to add their works easily.

Highlights

Data visualization is increasingly important in the Biosciences as stated by O’Donoghue et al [1]
As a consequence, keeping an overview of state-of-the-art visualization research is crucial for both biology researchers and visualization researchers
All newly proposed entries are doublechecked before making them publicly accessible in BioVis Explorer. This way, we can include new biological data visualization techniques suggested by the community, which are described in peer-reviewed publications from a wide range of outlets beyond our initial list described above

Summary

Introduction

Data visualization is increasingly important in the Biosciences as stated by O’Donoghue et al [1]. In order to support the user submissions to the survey, BioVis Explorer includes a dialog shown, which is opened by clicking the “Add entry” button as can be seen at top right of Fig 2 This dialog contains fields similar to the ones displayed in the details dialog, including buttons for assigning categories from our taxonomy. All newly proposed entries are doublechecked before making them publicly accessible in BioVis Explorer This way, we can include new biological data visualization techniques suggested by the community, which are described in peer-reviewed publications from a wide range of outlets beyond our initial list described above

Discussion

Conclusion