What is a Bubble Diagram?

A bubble diagram is a diagram which represents information visually in the form of a series of bubbles. This type of diagram can be used to present a wide variety of information for the purpose of activities like presentations, planning out designs, and developing strategy. Many programs with features which allow diagramming have the capacity to produce bubble diagrams and it is also possible to buy specialized software. Some people prefer to produce such diagrams by hand.

One case in which the bubble diagram is widely used is in the development of plans for landscaping and architecture. The bubbles can be used to represent different kinds of spaces in a plan, varying in shape to represent features of greater or lesser importance and size. The bubble diagram can create a rough sense of flow which is used to develop a more refined plan.

In architecture, for example, an architect can create an approximate bubble diagram of a space while working with a client. The client could discuss the various features desired and how important they are, while the architect uses the bubbles to approximately represent the space and lay out other information. Using these bubbled plans, the architect can start to develop more precise plans which retain the traits deemed important during the client meeting. A bubble diagram floor plan, for example, can represent the flow of a space and provide information about the sizes of rooms relative to each other.

Such diagrams can also be used to represent information such as that being prepared for a presentation or laid out during a brainstorming session. Various bubbles can be scaled in size to reflect importance and connected in a variety of ways. This method of diagramming encourages more flowing logic and less linear thinking, which can be beneficial for certain types of development processes. People often use such diagrams during the early stages of product development to rough out thoughts and ideas for the purpose of sketching out a development plan.

Bubbles can be varied in size or shape, color coded, and marked in other ways to differentiate them from each other and create a hierarchy of information. When working with a bubble diagram, it is important to avoid going overboard with the presentation of information, because a diagram which is too visually busy can be difficult to read or understand. If numerous colors are used or all of the bubbles contain a great deal of information, the diagram can become visually overwhelming.