RankLens: Visual analysis of evolving rankings in multiple network

Explaining node rankings in complex networks facilitates deeper analysis of network information. However, incorporating network evolution into influence analysis introduces many new challenges. In this paper, we propose a set of metrics for evaluating the influence of nodes on ranking evolution, enabling the identification of suspicious entities. Building on this, we analyze these entities from both behavioral and topological perspectives to derive insights into network evolution, forming a unified framework for explaining ranking evolution. We further develop RankLens , a visual analytics system designed to observe node ranking evolution and capture the underlying causes of those changes. A case study demonstrates the usefulness and effectiveness of our system in facilitating visual analysis of ranking evolution and assisting experts in identifying the key actors responsible for those changes.

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Publication Details

Journal
Visual Informatics
Published
2025-12-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visinf.2025.100304
Primary Topic
Complex Network Analysis Techniques
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

RankLens: Visual analysis of evolving rankings in multiple network

Fengze Yu, Bangting Xu, Xiangyu Zhu, Songyue Li et al.
Visual Informatics
Complex Network Analysis Techniques
article

RankLens: Visual analysis of evolving rankings in multiple network

Fengze Yu, Bangting Xu, Xiangyu Zhu, Songyue Li, Yi Ding, Xiaogang Guo
article en

Abstract

Explaining node rankings in complex networks facilitates deeper analysis of network information. However, incorporating network evolution into influence analysis introduces many new challenges. In this paper, we propose a set of metrics for evaluating the influence of nodes on ranking evolution, enabling the identification of suspicious entities. Building on this, we analyze these entities from both behavioral and topological perspectives to derive insights into network evolution, forming a unified framework for explaining ranking evolution. We further develop RankLens , a visual analytics system designed to observe node ranking evolution and capture the underlying causes of those changes. A case study demonstrates the usefulness and effectiveness of our system in facilitating visual analysis of ranking evolution and assisting experts in identifying the key actors responsible for those changes.

Visual Informatics
China Tobacco (CN), Hangzhou Dianzi University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 30%
Complex Network Analysis Techniques
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