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Interactive Scatter

The Interactive Scatter page provides a highly customizable 2D scatter plot for exploring relationships between any two variables in your optimization data, with advanced filtering and interactive selection capabilities.

Overview

This page allows you to: - Create custom 2D scatter plots - Select any variables for X and Y axes - Filter by sets - Color and style points by different attributes - Select points interactively - View detailed information about selected solutions

Features

Result Selection

Select Results to Compare: Choose one or more optimization results - Multi-select: Compare multiple results simultaneously - Color coding: Different results shown in different colors - Combined view: All results plotted together

Axis Selection

X-Axis: Choose the variable for the horizontal axis Y-Axis: Choose the variable for the vertical axis

Available Variables: - Design variables - Objectives - Constraints - Observables - Any computed or measured value

Tips: - Plot objectives against each other to see trade-offs - Plot variables against objectives to understand sensitivity - Plot constraints to identify feasibility boundaries

Color Coding

Color By: Choose how to color the points

Options: - Set: Color by set membership (e.g., Pareto, feasible) - Any Variable: Color by the value of any variable/objective - Result: Color by which result the point belongs to

Use Cases: - Highlight Pareto-optimal solutions - Show feasibility status - Visualize a third dimension - Distinguish between results

Marker Styling

Marker By: Choose how to style the point markers

Options: - Set: Different markers for different sets - Any Variable: Marker size based on variable value - Result: Different markers for different results

Benefits: - Add a fourth dimension to the plot - Distinguish overlapping points - Emphasize important solutions

Set Filtering

Filter by Set: Show only points belonging to specific sets

Workflow: 1. Create sets in Sets Manager 2. Select sets to display 3. Plot updates to show only those points

Use Cases: - Focus on Pareto front - Show only feasible solutions - Compare different solution subsets - Isolate solutions of interest

Interactive Features

Point Selection

Select Points: Click and drag to select points - Box Select: Drag to create a selection box - Lasso Select: Draw a freeform selection - Click: Select individual points

Selected Point Information: - Annotations show point indices - Details appear in side panels - Can be used for further analysis

Detail Panels

When you select points, three bar charts appear showing:

Design Variables: - Values of all design variables for selected points - Compare variable values across selections - Identify variable patterns

Objectives: - Objective values for selected points - Compare solution quality - See trade-offs

Observables: - Observable values for selected points - Additional metrics and computed values - Extended analysis

Chart Types: - Bar charts: For small selections (\<200 bars) - Lollipop charts: For larger selections - Vertical style: Side-by-side comparison - Connected style: Trend visualization

Usage Workflows

Workflow 1: Objective Trade-off Analysis

  1. Select X-axis: First objective
  2. Select Y-axis: Second objective
  3. Color by: "pareto" set
  4. Observe the Pareto front
  5. Select points to examine details

Workflow 2: Variable Sensitivity

  1. Select X-axis: Design variable
  2. Select Y-axis: Objective
  3. Color by: Another objective
  4. Identify sensitive regions
  5. Understand variable impact

Workflow 3: Feasibility Exploration

  1. Select X and Y axes of interest
  2. Color by: "feasible" set
  3. Marker by: Constraint value
  4. Identify feasible region boundaries
  5. Understand constraint impact

Workflow 4: Multi-Result Comparison

  1. Select multiple results
  2. Choose relevant axes
  3. Color by: Result
  4. Compare solution distributions
  5. Identify differences and similarities

Workflow 5: Solution Selection

  1. Plot relevant variables/objectives
  2. Filter by important sets
  3. Use lasso select to choose solutions
  4. Examine details in bar charts
  5. Note indices for set creation

Best Practices

Axis Selection

Meaningful Combinations: - Conflicting objectives: See trade-offs - Variable vs objective: Understand sensitivity - Constraint vs variable: Find boundaries

Scale Considerations: - Variables with similar ranges plot better - Large scale differences may hide patterns - Consider normalizing if needed

Color Strategy

Highlight What Matters: - Use color for the most important distinction - Color by sets to show categories - Color by values to show gradients - Keep color schemes consistent

Marker Usage

Add Dimensions: - Use markers when color is already used - Size markers by importance - Different shapes for different categories - Don't overuse—can create clutter

Set Filtering

Progressive Filtering: 1. Start with all data 2. Filter to feasible solutions 3. Further filter to Pareto front 4. Finally filter to specific criteria

Interpretation

Scatter Plot Patterns

Positive Correlation: - Points trend upward from left to right - Variables increase together

Negative Correlation: - Points trend downward from left to right - Trade-off between variables

Clusters: - Groups of nearby points - Similar solution families - Distinct design regions

Outliers: - Points far from the main group - Unusual solutions - Potential errors or interesting cases

Pareto Front: - Edge of the point cloud (for objectives) - Non-dominated solutions - Optimal trade-off curve

Color Patterns

Distinct Regions: - Different colors in different areas - Set membership correlates with position - Clear categorization

Gradients: - Smooth color transitions - Continuous variable relationships - Trends across the space

Mixed Colors: - Sets overlap in this projection - Need additional dimensions to separate - Consider different axes

Tips and Tricks

Visualization

Zoom and Pan: - Use Plotly controls to zoom - Pan to explore different regions - Double-click to reset view

Hover Information: - Hover over points for details - See exact values - Identify specific solutions

Export: - Download plots for reports - Save as PNG or SVG - Include in presentations

Analysis

Multiple Views: - Create different plots for different aspects - Compare patterns across views - Build comprehensive understanding

Iterative Exploration: - Start broad, then narrow down - Use filters progressively - Refine based on findings

Combine with Other Pages: - Use Data Viewer to find indices - Create sets based on selections - Validate with Parallel Coordinates

Advanced Features

Lollipop Charts

For large selections (>200 bars), the detail panels switch to lollipop charts:

Vertical Style: - Side-by-side sticks for each variable - Easy comparison across points - Clear value visualization

Connected Style: - Lines connecting values across variables - Shows trends - Identifies patterns

Custom Data Exploration

  1. Hypothesis Testing: Plot to test specific hypotheses
  2. Pattern Discovery: Explore to find unexpected patterns
  3. Validation: Confirm findings from other analyses
  4. Communication: Create plots for presentations

Troubleshooting

Too Many Points

  • Filter by sets to reduce density
  • Use smaller marker sizes
  • Apply transparency (if available)

Can't See Patterns

  • Try different axis combinations
  • Adjust color schemes
  • Use different marker styles

Selection Not Working

  • Ensure you're using the correct selection tool
  • Check that points are visible
  • Try refreshing the page

Bar Charts Not Showing

  • Ensure points are selected
  • Check that the result has the required data
  • Verify selection includes valid points
  • Path: /interactive_scatter
  • Category: Visualization
  • Icon: Chart multiple icon
  • Requires Data: Yes