Radial Layout

A radial layout places entities on circles around a common center (also known as the root), expanding outward, similar to rings in a tree. The center entity is the first entity, the first ring contains the "children" entities of the first entity, the second ring contains the "children" entities of the entities from the first ring, and so on. As such, "children" entities are on higher layers, or larger rings, than their "parent" entities. Center entity policies determine which entities are placed at the center or on the innermost ring, and layering strategies determine how the entities are distributed over the rings.

A radial layout is useful for models that depict social networks, web analysis, or organizations with a central authority and multiple levels of management.