Use Cases
Use Cases
Map visualizations are particularly powerful when location is central to understanding network structure and relationships. Here are key application areas:
Logistics & Supply Chain
Scenario: Visualizing transportation networks, warehouse locations, and delivery routes.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Distribution center coverage areas
- Transportation route efficiency
- Last-mile delivery patterns
- Supply chain geographic vulnerabilities
Example: Mapping warehouse locations with edges showing shipping routes, sized by volume, to identify coverage gaps and optimize distribution.
Telecommunications & Infrastructure
Scenario: Understanding network infrastructure spanning geographic regions.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Physical network topology
- Coverage areas and gaps
- Redundancy in critical paths
- Infrastructure concentration risks
Example: Visualizing cell towers with connection edges showing network topology, revealing coverage patterns and potential single points of failure.
Transportation Networks
Scenario: Analyzing flight routes, rail connections, or road networks.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Hub airports and central stations
- Route density and competition
- Underserved regions
- Connection patterns and layovers
Example: Mapping airline routes with edges sized by passenger volume, showing hub dominance and regional connectivity patterns.
Retail & Service Networks
Scenario: Understanding store locations, franchise networks, or service territories.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Market coverage and saturation
- Competitive proximity
- Territory relationships
- Expansion opportunities
Example: Mapping retail locations with edges showing transfer or supply relationships, identifying territory overlaps and coverage gaps.
Social Networks with Location
Scenario: Analyzing social connections that span geographic boundaries.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Local vs long-distance relationship patterns
- Geographic community boundaries
- Migration and mobility patterns
- Location-based homophily
Example: Visualizing friendship connections on a map to understand how social networks span cities and countries.
Security & Intelligence
Scenario: Mapping entities and their connections across geographic locations.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Geographic patterns in network structure
- Cross-border relationships
- Location-based clustering
- Movement and connection patterns
Example: Mapping entity locations with communication edges to understand geographic distribution and relationship patterns.
Healthcare & Epidemiology
Scenario: Understanding disease spread, healthcare access, or referral patterns.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Infection spread paths
- Healthcare facility coverage
- Referral network geography
- Access disparities by region
Example: Mapping hospital locations with patient referral edges to understand care coordination across a health system.
Energy & Utilities
Scenario: Visualizing power grids, pipelines, or utility networks.
Map visualizations reveal:
- Network topology and redundancy
- Capacity corridors
- Vulnerable geographic sections
- Generation and consumption balance
Example: Mapping power plants and substations with transmission line edges, sized by capacity, to identify grid vulnerabilities.
Academic & Research Collaboration
Scenario: Understanding collaboration patterns across institutions and countries.
Map visualizations reveal:
- International research partnerships
- Regional collaboration clusters
- Institution centrality
- Knowledge flow geography
Example: Mapping university locations with co-authorship edges to visualize global research collaboration networks.