We introduce a graphic primitive, called a dimensional anchor (DA), which facilitates the creation of new visualizations and provides insight into the analysis of information visualizations. The DA represents an attempt to provide a unified framework or model for a variety of visualizations, including Parallel Coordinates, scatter plot matrices, Radviz, Survey Plots and Circle Segments. A dimensional anchor is constructed by assigning values to parameters associated with various geometric

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... c elements that encode the basics of the above visualizations. We define a visualization vector space in which all of the above visualizations and many new ones are represented by vectors. These encodings make it possible to perform a Grand Tour traveling from Parallel Coordinates to Survey Plot, and visiting many other visualizations in between.