Visualizing Family Trees: Development of a Dynamic
Family Retrieval SystemHarumi Murakami

Ning Zheng

Osaka City University
3-3-138, Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi,
Osaka 558-8585 Japan+81-6-6605-3375

Hitachi Inspharma, Ltd.
1-9-1, Edobori, Nishi,
Osaka 550-0022 Japan+81-6-6450-3700

harumi@media.osaka-cu.ac.jp

zhengning82@yahoo.co.jp

ABSTRACT
We present a family retrieval system that can move person objects
and has a chronological display to understand family history andorganize family information. Based on questionnaires, we
designed symbols for person icons and such links among icons
that show gender, dead or alive, married or divorced, the adoption
and adoption dissolution. The following are our paper's main
contributions: (1) a prototype system with a dynamic andchronological display; (2) a methodology to design symbols offamily trees for family retrieval systems; (3) appropriate symbols
for computers for family retrieval systems.

Categories and Subject Descriptors
H.5.2 [Information Interfaces
Interfaces – Screen Design.

andPresentation]:

User

particular woman to whom he was talking during a familyreunion?
We propose a dynamic system that can display all person objects
and move them as users want.
To develop dynamic family tree systems, we must consider twobasic designs: structure of family trees and symbols of person
objects and relationships. In this paper, we concentrate on
consider how to design the person objects and their relationships.
Typical family tree systems do not show gender. Such crucial
information as dead or alive, married or divorced, and adoption
and the adoption dissolution are generally missing as well. This
information is sometimes provided by annotations to each
person’s object. Some systems [3] show such information, but its
design process is unknown.

General Terms
Design, Human Factors

MaleFemale

Keywords

Deadfamily tree, dynamic display, chronological display, design ofsymbols

1. INTRODUCTION
Understanding family histories and organizing such family
information is important. Jones [1] argues that “the term Personal
Information has several senses: 1. The information people keep
for their own personal use.” Family information is one example ofsuch knowledge that people keep for their personal use. We
believe that family information is a crucial element of personal
information; however, it has not been frequently investigated by
Personal Information Management (PIM). Some PIM software[2] deals with such family information as health data, but it
seldom provides such facilities as visualizing family trees to help
users understand family histories.
Outside PIM, typical family tree systems can input and staticallydisplay parent and children relationships. But such systems sufferfrom the following problems. They cannot move person objects,
have no chronological display, cannot deal with such relationships
as marriage, divorce, adoption, and the adoption dissolution.
Quickly understanding a family history and the complicatedrelationships of a family chronology is difficult. For example,
when a woman has a second child, is the baby's grandmother still
alive? What is the relationship between one's father and a

Copyright is held by the author/owner(s).

Marriage
Divorce(a) Kinship diagrams (anthropology)

Adoption

MaleFemale
DeadMarriage(b) Genetic diagrams (genetics)

Figure 1. Existing family tree diagrams.
Formal or informal rules exist for drawing family tree diagrams
on paper based on specific purposes. Many similarities anddifferences can be found. Kinship diagrams in anthropology andgenetic diagrams in genetics are famous for their special purposes.
For example, in kinship diagrams in anthropology, triangles
indicate males and circles indicate females. A cross is put onthese symbols if the person is dead. Figure 1 (a) is an example ofa kinship diagram described in [4]. In genetics, squares represent
males and circles are used for females. A slashed line indicatesthat a person is dead. Figure 1(b) is an example of a genetic
diagram [5] that interprets the above kinship diagram. A solid
double line between couples indicates marriage in the kinshipdiagrams and incestuous marriage in the genetic diagrams. Such
differences reflect different purposes. Since the genetic diagrams
store health information for clinical purposes, non-biologicalinformation such as divorce and adoption is unimportant.
In addition, no international rules exist for drawing family trees inwhich users can move person objects on computers for family
information retrieval.
In this paper, we first investigate the basic design of symbols anddevelop a system based on our results.
Below, in Section 2 we describe our investigation on how todisplay family trees on computers. Our family tree design will be
explained in Section 3. The implementation and examples of thesystem are described in Section 4. We discuss the significance ofour research in Section 5.

2. INVESTIGATION
2.1 Method
We conducted two questionnaire surveys. The subjects were 37
Japanese undergraduates (19 males and 18 females; average age,19) in the first survey, and 36 (16 males and 20 females; averageage, 19) in the second. After explaining some conditions, weasked subjects to select the best display from two to four optionsof person objects or relationships. The options were selected bypreliminary experiments. The following were the instructions.
This survey will determine how to design display data infamily tree retrieval systems. Select only one symbol as
the most appropriate to indicate a question's semantics orthe data relationships and write it in the answer column.
If you cannot select one, write none. Please select as
intuitively as possible.
Figure 2 is an example of the questionnaires. The subjects
selected one from three choices about indicating an adoption: (1)a double solid line, (2) a dashed line, and (3) a solid line withannotation “adoption.”
(2)

山田花子

山田太郎

山田太郎

山田花子

山田太郎

Adoption

Reason(1) Shape of person icons (male/female, dead/alive)(2) Relationships of marriage and divorce

2.2 Results
2.2.1 Overall Results
We first show the results in which we obtained significant
differences in a chi-test (p<0.05).
(1) When distinguishing gender by colors, the shape of the personicons should be the same (97% in two selection options).
(2) If solid lines are used for the frames of the icons of the living,dashed lines should be used to indicate the dead (1st time: 76% infour options, 2nd time: 58% in three options).
(3) A double solid line should indicate marriage (73% in threeoptions.)(4) A father should be located on the left between a father and amother (when their birth dates are unknown: 100%; when thefather is older than the mother: 100%; when the mother is older
than the father: 86%).
(5) Children should be located left to right by birth order (whenthe son is older than the daughter: 100%; when a daughter is older
than a son: 67%). The son should be located on the left among
the children when their birth dates are unknown (100%).
(6) “Adoption” should be described along a solid line thatindicates a parent-child relationship (81% in three options).
(7) Adopted children should be located from left to right by birthorder (76% in two options).
(8) A dashed line should indicate unmarried-parents who havechildren (78% in three options).
(9) “Affiliation” should be described next to the father's side witha solid line that indicates a parent-child relationship (56% in fouroptions).
For the following, there were no significant differences in the chitest. We show the answers that got maximum numbers.

(11) When there are biological and adopted children, they should
be located from left to right by birth order without any distinction(46% in four options).

2.2.2 Analysis
AnswerFigure 2. Example of questionnaire sheets.
The questionnaire items are listed below.

(5) Location of person icons (among parents and children)(12) To indicate the adoption dissolution, “adoption dissolution”
should be annotated along a solid line that displays the parent andadopted children relationship, and a cross should be marked on
the solid line (39% in three options).

(3)
山田花子

(4) Relationships of unmarried parents and children, andaffiliation of children(10) When a double solid line indicates marriage, “divorced”
should be annotated above the line (39% in three options).

Question: Adoption(1)(3) Relationships of adoption and adoption dissolutionAbout distinguishing genders, many subjects answered: “Whencolor is used to distinguish gender, the shape should be the same
because it is easy to see.”Symbols for the dead caused disagreements. Many subjects
answered that, “a dashed line is good because it represents
disappearance.” One comment about slashed lines complainedthat “it is difficult to see the names.”
A cross for divorce was also selected but the number was smaller
than the description. Comments included, “when couples have

children, a cross is ambiguous because it's unclear whether it isput on the marriage and/or the parent-children relationship,” and“a cross for the adoption dissolution is acceptable because there is
no ambiguity.”
Neither dashed nor double solid lines were rejected for adopted
children. The subjects probably aren't accustomed to suchtraditional symbols for adoption, and therefore they are not easy
to understand.
For the layout of the birth order of parents and children, mostagreed to place children from the left to right by birth order.
However, for the parents, the number who answered that ``fathers
are on the left'' was larger. Many claimed that such a layout iseasy to see.

(9) When a father affiliates his child, “affiliation” is annotated on
the father's side of a solid line that indicates a parent-childrelationship.
(10) A horizontal line among children indicates that they have thesame parent(s).
(11) Fathers are located on the left and mothers on the right in thefirst generation.
(12) Children are located from left to right by birth order without
distinguishing between biological or adopted children. Whenbirth dates are unknown, the sons are located from the left.
Figure 4 shows a kinship diagram in Figure 1 in our design.

3. DESIGN
We designed the symbols of family trees based on ourinvestigation results (Figure 3).

A

B

A B

A B

MaleFemale

AliveDeadA

B

A

B

A

B
MarriedA

C

D

Biological childA

D

Adopted childB

Affiliation

CCD

Affiliation of biologicalchildren of unmarried couples

Sameparent(s)Divorced

B

C

DivorcedA

B

E

Divorced

F

GH

I

JK

Figure 4. Design corresponding to kinship diagrams in Figure
1.

Adoption
Dissolution

CD

B

Adoption

Divorced

B

Adoption
AdoptionCAAC

Divorce of adoption Biological child ofunmarried couples‐ Fathers are located on left and mothers
are located on right in first generation.
‐Children are located from left to right bybirth order in subsequent generations.
‐ When gender is unknown, frames arecolored by black.

Note: A, B, C and D are names of people

Figure 3. Basic design.
(1) Gender is distinguished by colors (males/blue; females/red)and not by shapes. The person icons are square. When gender isunknown, the frames are colored black. The names of the person
objects are annotated in the frames.
(2) Solid lines are used for the frames of living person icons, anddashed lines are used for the frames of the dead.
(3) A double solid line between couples indicates marriage.
(4) “Divorced” is annotated above by a double line that indicatesmarriage.
(5) A solid line from a parent or a line connecting parents to achild indicates a biological child.
(6) “Adoption” is annotated next to a solid line that indicates theparent and adopted children relationship.
(7) “Adoption dissolution” is annotated next to a solid line thatindicates the dissolution of the parent and adopted children
relationship, and a cross is marked on the line.
(8) A dashed line indicates unmarried-couples who have children.

4. IMPLEMENTATION
4.1 FamilyRetriever
We developed a system called FamilyRetriever that dynamicallymoves person objects with two features: a chronological display
and a direct-line search function to explore family trees.
Figure 5 is an example screen of FamilyRetriever.
In the main window, users can display and move any person
object with the following two functions:(a) Chronological display function: users can set dates either
using a time slide bar or by direct selection. They can display
objects by dates.
(b) Direct-line search function: users can select a person anddisplay spouses, ascendants, and descendants. Here users can see
adoptive parents and adopted children. Users can change modes todisplay names of current and former spouses.
On the right hand side display of the system, the attributeinformation of a selected person is displayed and such related dataas photos can be selected and displayed.

4.2 Example
Japan has a family registration system called Koseki in whichcitizens are registered based on the parent-children relationship.
A user obtained all the copies of the registration permitted by law.
166 people were input to the system. The eldest person was her
great-great-grandmother born in 1840.
Figure 5 is an example in which the date was set as Oct. 2, 1911.
The user can view the quick history of a selected person, Yoshino
Umeki, who is highlighted yellow, using the chronologicaldisplay and moving the slide bar from her birth. She was born
Yoshino Ochi in 1881 as the third child of Jitsuo Ochi and YaeOchi. Her older sisters were already dead. She married Ayao

Umeki and changed her surname to Umeki, had a son, gotdivorced, changed her surname to Ochi again, remarried her exhusband, changed her surname back to Umeki, gave birth to adaughter, had another son, and died in 1915. When the user
selects an icon of the attribute information, a photo of her familyof 100 years ago is displayed.

The following are our paper's main contributions.
First, we presented a concept of dynamic and chronologicaldisplay for family retrieval systems. We implemented a prototype
based on our approach.
Second, we proposed a methodology to design the symbols forfamily trees for family retrieval systems.
Third, we introduced appropriate symbols for computers forfamily retrieval systems including such biological and legal
relationships as marriage and divorce, adoption and adoption
dissolution, and affiliation based on questionnaire surveys. We
found that understanding the meanings of traditional symbols isnot easy.

6. CONCLUSIONSWe presented a family retrieval system that moves person objects
and provides chronological display and direct-line searchfunctions to understand family history and organize family
information.
Figure 5. An example screen.

5. RELATED WORK AND DISCUSSION
FamilySearch [6] and Ancestor [7] are two well-known family
retrieval systems. Most existing family tree systems have static
displays. We have a dynamic display with movable person objects.
Typical family tree systems do not show gender, dead or alive,
and so on. Some systems [3] show such information, but its
design process is unknown. We have proposed a methodology todesign the symbols for family trees and designed them based onquestionnaire surveys.
There is little research on family trees in computer science.
Wesson et al. [8] focused on the user interface for browsing
family tree information. Park and Choe [9] presented apreliminary artwork of visualizing family trees as information
visualization research. No system has a chronological direct-line
search function. To the best of our knowledge, no research exists
about what symbols to use for family trees.

Based on questionnaires, we designed the symbols of person icons
and links among icons, such as male or female, dead or alive,
married or divorced, and adoption and adoption dissolution.
We developed a prototype system called FamilyRetriever basedon our approach.

7. REFERENCES[1] Jones, W: Personal Information Management, 2007. ARIST,
453-503.
[2] MSD Organizer,
http://www.msdsoft.com/eng/products/agenda/info.htm[3] FamilyEcho, http://www.familyecho.com/[4] Kinship and Social Organization,
http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/arts/\\anthropology/tutor/i
ndex.html[5] The Merck Manuals,
http://merckmanual.jp/mmpej/sec22/ch327/ch327b.html\#\\C
IHDEAHB[6] FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/

Outside computer science, there are systems that deal withgenealogical information based on their respective purposes.
Kinship and genetic diagrams have been implemented oncomputers. Most have static displays but not dynamic displayswith a chronological direct-line search function.

[7] Ancestor, http://www.ancestor.dom/

Shibata et al. [10] developed a system that displays therelationships between gods and goddesses in mythology. Sugito
developed a tool for cultural anthropology that was also used inhistory. These tools were customized for their respectivepurposes.

[9] Park, J, W., and Choe, G. 2009. Visual Genelogy: Mr. PARK,Myrang-Hwarok Clan, SIGGRAPH.

Mcilvaine-Newsad [11] proposed a step-by-step methodology for
documenting household composition and other changes bydrawing timelines. They presented a document household
timeline without investigations by questionnaires.
The purpose and objectives of our research are different. The
primary objective is to develop family retrieval systems anddesign the symbols for family trees.

[8] Wesson, J., et al. 2004. A Zoomtree Interface for Searching
Genealogical Information, Proceedings of 3rd ACM
International Conference on Computer Graphics VirtualReality, Visualization and Interaction in Africa, 131-136.

[10] Shibata, M., Sugiyama, S., Ikuta, A., Saito, S., and Miyashita,
S. 2004. KOJIKI Knowledge Assistant Database System for
Academic Usage: A Study Concerning Display Form ofGenealogy Historical Materials, IPSJ SIG Technical Report,
76, 8, 57-64.
[11] Mcilvaine-Newsad, H., Sullivan, A., Dougherty, M. 2003.
Household Composition Timeline, Field Methods, 15, 3,305-317.