Cell phone Mini Challenge: Node-link animation award animating multivariate dynamic social networks

This article describes the visualization tool developed for analysing a dynamic social network of phone calls, for the VAST 2008 mini challenge. The tool was designed to highlight temporal changes in the network, by animating different network visual representations. We also explain how animating these network representations, helped to identify key events in the mini challenge problem scenario. Finally, we make some suggestions for future research and development in the area.