Exploring categorical data: interactive mosaic plots

Abstract.

The paper outlines what we can and should expect of an interactive system for exploratory analysis of categorical data. By means of the example of Mosaic Plots – the graphical analogue of multivariate contingency tables – it is shown how much power a graphic gains when interactive features are added. Together with this article come accompanying HTML scripts where the examples are available in a more detailed and interactive form to give the user insight into the `look & feel' effect of interactive graphics. Besides the examples the script includes a small test version of Manet– the software for interactive exploratory analysis developed at the Cosada department in Augsburg university.