Temporal visualization of planning polygons for efficient partitioning of geo-spatial data

Abstract

Partitioning of geo-spatial data for efficient allocation of resources such as schools and emergency health care services is driven by a need to provide better and more effective services. Partitioning of spatial data is a complex process that depends on numerous factors such as population, costs incurred in deploying or utilizing resources and target capacity of a resource. Moreover, complex data such as population distributions are dynamic i.e. they may change over time. Simple animation may not effectively show temporal changes in spatial data. We propose the use of three temporal visualization techniques -wedges, rings and time slices - to display the nature of change in temporal data in a single view. Along with maximizing resource utilization and minimizing utilization costs, a partition should also ensure the long term effectiveness of the plan. We use multi-attribute visualization techniques to highlight the strengths and identify the weaknesses of a partition. Comparative visualization techniques allow multiple partitions to be viewed simultaneously. Users can make informed decisions about how to partition geo spatial data by using a combination of our techniques for multi-attribute visualization, temporal visualization and comparative visualization.