TrackStack mockup help request

[conseo]

Hey,

I have done three mockups for browsing votespace from endcandidate to 2 levels 
deep (1) (2) (3).

Some notes to the overall model:

When you click a node which has the resource not set (SAC not selected) it 
always defaults to the Votes SAC. Selecting a new subnode, will always lead to 
a shared view of the stack from the common point in the tree. This is 
necessary to keep a constant view on the stack. Then we can allow to hide 
tracks which are uninteresting for the session (e.g. the top level situation). 
I have added a small cross in the corner to symbolize this action. That way we 
can easily cover 10.000 users deep positions without getting the stack in the 
way. In fact it allows any selected combination of views on the segments 
inside a tree. I have made the colour of the selected segment on each level a 
brighter white, I don't know if it is sufficient, until now I could leave 
colouring out. (I thought about the possibility to colour familiar voters 
(through communication or voting relationships) individually for each session 
for example).

Possible Problems:

Overall design:

- The stack will align that way for all types of tracks, so we could model a 
progress-meter like stack also. I don't think it is necessary, just imagining 
it shows that the proposed model is the necessary social dimension to 
visualize. The connectors allow all kind of path visualizations. That way the 
trackstack shares a lot with votespace in its model, but by representing 
segments or other single dimensional quantitives, it is perfectly fitted to 
visualize resource information (in other future possible track types). 
Probably I have missed some issues about resource management, any hints? Do we 
need the trackstack for general statistical information (not path related) 
also?

Visual:

- The dotted lines in the connectors are maybe to weak to visualize the zoom-
like effect. It is subtle though. The connector visual is in another way 
insufficient, it takes the same amount of vertical space as a track (hence the 
idea to hide tracks), but less hasn't cut it for me. Is the current connector 
visualize sound or can it be made smaller without loss of the visual?

- Votespace is just an idea and does not fit the numbers for segment sizes 
(sorry too much work for a detail). The metroplan-like background circles are 
thought to give a non-colour visual for which nodes are inbetween endcandidate 
and selected position, representing the stack of tracks. It might be too 
heavy, although I think it gives a better visual guidance. What do you think 
Mike?

- Is the colouring still sufficient or are important details lost because of 
the subtle differences in the shades of grey?

conseo

(1) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/5/5.ns.endcandidate.xht
(2) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/5/5.ns.level1.xht
(3) http://whiletaker.homeip.net/mockups/5/5.ns.level2.xht