clipped from: harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu   

A user can upload data in a simple format and specify the parameters and type of graph desired. The software we’ve developed in our lab takes it from there, creating colorful and unusual-looking graphics that yield more information as the user rolls the mouse over them. (Visit many-eyes.com/hbr to see examples.)

• A company seeking to wring costs out of its supply chain might post a treemap showing items’ relative sourcing expenses, enabling “many eyes”—those of employees and suppliers—to spot new areas for potential savings.

Visitors to many-eyes.com have used IBM’s visualization software to create thousands of images, such as this treemap showing relative faculty sizes (represented by the sizes of the rectangles) and relative average salaries (color intensity) at a large university. Rolling the mouse yields pop-ups that show underlying data.