Visually organize weighted network
Background
I have a weighted network, where each node/vertex is a person. The weight of the connection between each node represents the level of interaction between the two. Each node is represented visually by the photo of the person, and every pair of nodes has a connection (of varying weight) between it.
There are two sets of data; the first data set has about 100 nodes, the second about 450.
My question is: How should the nodes be arranged? I have five ideas:
- Circle
- Place all nodes in one big circle, with the lines intersecting inside it.
- Importance
- Place the nodes with the most strong connections closer to the middle.
- To program: second hardest.
- Distance
- Place the nodes such that the average distance between strong connections is minimized. Basically, make stronger connections closer to each other.
- To program: hardest.
- Geography
- Place the nodes based on their geographic location.
- To program: easiest.
- Random
- Place the nodes randomly in a space.
- To program: second easiest.
Which of these options would be the best for visualizing the data? Which is the worst? Would it be best to allow the option to switch between a couple of them? Do you have any other suggestions?