6️⃣ The Network Graph: Discovering (un-)related Content

1. Discover (un-)related content via the Workspace's Network Graph

2. Discover (un-)related content via one Content Element's Network Graph

Discover (un-)related Content via the Workspace's Network Graph

The ITONICS Network Graph is a graphical representation of all the relations between the content elements in one workspace. To enter the Network Graph, you will find the respective menu item in your left main navigation menu.

Once you have entered the Network Graph, you can adjust the content displayed by the search and filter menu at the top of your screen [1]. Drill the view down to any specific element types, publication status, or more advanced filters. 

Furthermore, you can adjust the Network Graph settings when you click on the settings icon [2] on the right side. This way you can:

• Links: adjust the logic of what relations are shown, i.e., by relations that have been set between elements or based on the tags they share
• Color: Adjust the meaning of the dots' color, e.g., show the publication status or any rating criteria values by different colors
• Size: Adjust the meaning of the dots' size,  e.g., show the publication status or any rating criteria values by different sizes

The meaning of the color can be shown or hidden as a legend in the bottom left of the screen.

Each content element is displayed by one dot in the Network Graph. If a relation is set between two content elements, it is displayed by a line between these content elements. If no connection has been made, no line is shown. You can activate "show unconnected elements" from the settings menu.

To save a new configuration, find the "save changes" or "save as new view" option at the top right [3]. When "saving as new view", a model opens where you can indicate the title of the view. You can also create a new view when clicking on the title of the current network graph view and select "create view" [4]. Here, you also find an option to determine whether it is a private view or you want to share it publicly with the other workspace users.

Next to the title, you find three dots from which you can:

• edit view (rename the view)
• duplicate view
• delete view

You can also zoom in on the Network Graph. You can use your mouse wheel or the control options to the top right [5]. You can also use double-click to zoom in.

When you use the option to show the links based on tags shared [6], you will see a different type of line appearing to indicate a link between these content elements. Now, the thickness of a line represents how many tags are shared. Under "minimum tag overlap", you can now decide upon which threshold value of tags shared, a line should become visible.

Drag the minimum tag overlap slider to the right, and you see weaker links disappear. Elements with weaker links move to the outer periphery, while Elements with stronger links remain in the center. This is a good way to declutter the Network Graph.

To search for specific relations, you can also use the global filter > Related To [1] and filter the view for Relation is, Relation is not, or Relation is empty. You need to add one specific content element, and the view adjusts accordingly.

Discover (un-)related Content via one Content Element's Network Graph

Each content element comes with its own Network Graph. Click on one content element and navigate to the relation section [8]. By default, you will find the relations listed in the list view. However, you can change the view to the network graph view [9].

The relations are now displayed visibly, and the color indicates the element types (as defined in the element configuration). Besides direct relations, i.e., a relation that is set between two content elements, the graph also visualizes second-level relations, i.e., potentially interesting relations that emerge because already related content has relations with other content elements [10]. To make this more visible, you can manipulate the settings [9].  

By changing the sliders, you can define how big the dots of the first-line relation and the second-line relation should appear. The same can be applied to the distance level between the elements of the first- and second-level.