Detective relationship charts
October 9, 2013 11:42 PM Subscribe
On cop shows, especially older shows, the detective(s) would often come up with a big chart involving thumb-tacking pictures of the suspects and victims, places of crimes, etc. to a big board in the "war room." They would often have yarn or string stretching from one picture to the next showing a relationship. After all the pieces were in place, they would circle their suspect with a black marker and cut to commercial. Is there a formal name for this type of chart or technique that is depicted in these cop shows? In general, where could I learn about how to organize complex sets of people, places, and relationships into an easy to digest chart?
Many thanks!
And one more related one, just because I love these - looking for examples of the crazy string wall in movies or tv.
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:01 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by LobsterMitten at 12:01 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
LobsterMitten's first link mentions the trope "Connect the Deaths," but for more names, see the trope "The Big Board." I've heard it called a murder board (as mentioned there). Probably a mindmapping tool is what you're looking for, so this is a digression, but I'll toss out the fact that there exist graph databases that organize data like that conceptually and custom browsers that let you navigate relationships among people, but I don't know of a tool that automates the creation and navigation of social network datasets in a generically useful and user-friendly way. One may exist, but for large datasets, it's often not as useful as plain old relational (i.e. tabular) databases with tabular output. I mean, have a look at that custom browser of researcher relationships and ask yourself how much better that is than a clickable table of someone's co-authors. Just a caveat, you know.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 12:19 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by Monsieur Caution at 12:19 AM on October 10, 2013
but I don't know of a tool that automates the creation and navigation of social network datasets in a generically useful and user-friendly way.
In the current incarnation, I believe HOLMES does this through the visual mapping interface.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:41 AM on October 10, 2013
In the current incarnation, I believe HOLMES does this through the visual mapping interface.
posted by DarlingBri at 12:41 AM on October 10, 2013
I have seen similar things under the rubric of "link analysis." If you do a Google search,you will find various charting methods and software packages.
posted by rpfields at 4:18 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by rpfields at 4:18 AM on October 10, 2013
"Social network analysis" is a more formalized academic application of this.
posted by pantarei70 at 5:24 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by pantarei70 at 5:24 AM on October 10, 2013
Best answer: Also Coursera has a pretty decent MOOC on social network analysis that explains the basics of Gephi software.
posted by pantarei70 at 5:55 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by pantarei70 at 5:55 AM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]
In general, where could I learn about how to organize complex sets of people, places, and relationships into an easy to digest chart?
I often use mind mapping software to do exactly that. Freemind is my current tool of choice, and often resolves chaos into order. Very useful tool. No kidding. Solid 10. Worth a 1 week investment in thoroughly exploring it and similar products. Maybe 2 weeks.
posted by FauxScot at 5:56 AM on October 10, 2013
I often use mind mapping software to do exactly that. Freemind is my current tool of choice, and often resolves chaos into order. Very useful tool. No kidding. Solid 10. Worth a 1 week investment in thoroughly exploring it and similar products. Maybe 2 weeks.
posted by FauxScot at 5:56 AM on October 10, 2013
I am pretty sure I've heard "murder board" although that sounds pretty awful!
posted by radioamy at 9:43 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by radioamy at 9:43 AM on October 10, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! If you need me, I will be on the other end of this strand of red yarn, figuring out the ins and outs of Gephi software....
posted by DB Cooper at 11:12 AM on October 10, 2013
posted by DB Cooper at 11:12 AM on October 10, 2013
After doing a shit-ton of reading around for the question in LobsterMitten's second comment , I now think of it as "link analysis" or "network analysis."
SpicyNodes is a web app that seems to want to be able to do this. I haven't given it a good workout yet.
posted by Miko at 8:43 PM on October 10, 2013
SpicyNodes is a web app that seems to want to be able to do this. I haven't given it a good workout yet.
posted by Miko at 8:43 PM on October 10, 2013
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A few related questions:
-does this investigative process have a name? [best answer: "link diagrams"]
-best methods for physical mindmapping with string?
-how do I make a cop show corkboard with string connecting pictures?
posted by LobsterMitten at 11:56 PM on October 9, 2013 [4 favorites]