Applications of isometric projection for visualizing web sites

This essay describes the application of diagrams that use the form of isometric projections to visualize the contents of a web site. We begin by characterizing the data that makes up a site: documents, computer programs (applications), and the links that connect them. We describe a way of visualizing web sites in diagrammatic form for the teams that plan, build, and maintain the site. We propose that isometric projection has several strengths for presenting this kind of information. The advantages of an isometric over a 2-D (flat) diagram are described. We also note several weaknesses that must be accounted for when using this technique. We then describe the visual language we have developed for this kind of diagram. In conclusion, we present the case for hand-built, rather than automatic, methods for creating these kind of visualizations.