# Does This Have a Particular Meaning? Interactive Pattern Explanation for Network Visualizations

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2408.01272 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2408.01272/

## Key facts

- Cited by 1 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 2 Aug 2024.

## Built on by (most cited first, 1 of 1)

- [Visualization Tasks for Unlabeled Graphs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2504.14115/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

This paper presents an interactive technique to explain visual patterns in network visualizations to analysts who do not understand these visualizations and who are learning to read them. Learning a visualization requires mastering its visual grammar and decoding information presented through visual marks, graphical encodings, and spatial configurations. To help people learn network visualization designs and extract meaningful information, we introduce the concept of interactive pattern explanation that allows viewers to select an arbitrary area in a visualization, then automatically mines the underlying data patterns, and explains both visual and data patterns present in the viewer's selection. In a qualitative and a quantitative user study with a total of 32 participants, we compare interactive pattern explanations to textual-only and visual-only (cheatsheets) explanations. Our results show that interactive explanations increase learning of i) unfamiliar visualizations, ii) patterns in network science, and iii) the respective network terminology.