Idvonal

Idvonal is a term used in information design to describe a visualization technique that maps identity-linked events along a single continuous line. The approach blends elements of a timeline with identity encoding, allowing viewers to track how individual entities change over time while maintaining a clear sense of identity.

A typical Idvonal visualization places a line on the grid, with events represented as markers along the line. Color, marker shape, and line thickness encode attributes such as category, status, or role. When multiple entities are shown, a color palette or parallel tracks may be used to distinguish them, while still preserving a common directional flow through time.

Origin and terminology: the name Idvonal appears in contemporary Hungarian design and data visualization discussions as a coined term. It is not tied to a single standard definition, and different implementations may adapt the encoding rules to their context.

Applications: Idvonal has been proposed for use in dashboards, health records, supply chains, and archival systems where the combination of event sequencing and identity tracking is useful. It supports interactive features such as filtering, zooming, and animation to emphasize recent events or contrasts between entities.

Limitations and alternatives: as with any line-based encoding, crowded lines can reduce readability. Designers often compare Idvonal to established metaphors such as timelines, sequence diagrams, or identity graphs, selecting the approach that best suits the data and user tasks.