The challenge of visualising multiple overlapping classification hierarchies

Abstract

Techniques for visualising hierarchies have concentrated on displaying static structures or, in the case of dynamic hierarchies, adding or deleting nodes from the hierarchy. However none have adequately dealt with the situation of visualising change occurring in the structure between existing nodes. We present initial work that outlines the difficulties of visualising such an event, with specific regard to the multiple classifications of information that are produced in botanical taxonomy.