While numerous visualization toolkits already exist, the most powerful tend to
be hard to learn. Moreover, many do not offer precise control over the graphical
output and needlessly constrain the types of visualizations that can be
produced.

So we built PROTOVIS: an open-source language for creative interactive
visualizations on the web using JavaScript and SVG.

We were inspired by low-level illustration approaches that allow direct
specification of the shapes and lines that compose a visualization. We build on
this approach to contribute a declarative visualization language that treats
marks as sets of data plus visual encodings.

Our representation retains the flexibility and simplicity of a graphical
approach, while greatly reducing the work required to construct interesting
visualizations.

For more, come to our talk on Friday morning!

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Protovis is an open-source, domain-specific embedded language for interactive
visualization on the web using JavaScript and SVG.

While myriad visualization toolkits already exist, the most powerful tend to be
hard to learn. Furthermore, many do not offer precise control over the output,
and unnecessarily constrain the types of visualizations that can be produced.

We were inspired by graphical libraries and vector-drawing programs
that allow direct specification of shapes and lines that compose a
visualization. We extend this simple approach with a declarative representation
of marks as sets of data plus visual encodings.

This representation retains the flexibility and simplicity of a graphical
approach, while greatly improving the efficiency--reducing the work required to
construct interesting visualizations.

Learn more at our talk on Friday morning! Thank you!