CHAIN LAYOUT FOR DISPLAYING HIERARCHICAL DATA

A chain visualization shows cards representing first, second and third hierarchical data items from a database. The second data item descends from the first. The third descends from the second. The visualization shows an ancestors chain, a descendants chain, and an active item location where the chains meet. The visualization shows a card visually associated with the ancestors chain for the first data item, a card in the active item location for the second data item, and a card visually associated with the descendants chain for the third data item. The cards present information from the data items. When a card is activated, it moves to the active item location. A descendant data item, descending from the new active item, is retrieved from the database. A card representing the descendant data item is displayed as visually associated with the descendants chain.