Visualization of complex systems using buildings

Abstract

Provided herein are approaches for generating a visualization of software code using a set of buildings. Specifically, one approach comprises: representing software code using a set of buildings in a virtual city environment, wherein each building of the set of buildings represent a software solution; displaying the set of buildings in the virtual city environment; and displaying a plurality of floors and a plurality of rooms within each of the plurality of floors of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of floors of a building of the set of buildings represents a software component of the software solution represented by the building, and wherein each of the plurality of rooms within each floor of the building represents a different version of the software component represented by the floor of the building.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating a visualization of software code using a set of buildings, comprising:
 representing software code using a set of buildings in a virtual city environment, wherein each building of the set of buildings represent a software solution;   displaying the set of buildings in the virtual city environment; and   displaying a plurality of floors and a plurality of rooms within each of the plurality of floors of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of floors of a building of the set of buildings represents a software component of the software solution represented by the building, and wherein each of the plurality of rooms within each floor of the building represents a different version of the software component represented by the floor of the building.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying an interconnection between at least two of the plurality of floors, wherein each interconnection represents a communication between the software components represented by the at least two of the plurality of floors. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising displaying a plurality of furniture items within a room of each of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of furniture items represents a stage of the software code. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the room has one or more characteristics, the method further comprising adjusting a characteristic within the room based on a satisfaction level for the version of the software component represented by the room. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising representing a plurality of interconnections between at least two buildings of the set of buildings, wherein a higher number of interconnections between two buildings is generated to reflect a higher level of interconnectivity between the software solutions represented by the two buildings. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of interconnections represents an interaction between the software solutions represented by the at least two buildings, and wherein each of the plurality of interconnections is represented as a route traversable by an avatar within the virtual city environment. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising displaying, in the virtual city environment weather characteristics representing customer satisfaction. 
     
     
         8 . A computer system for generating a visualization of software code using a set of buildings comprising:
 at least one processing unit;   memory associated with the at least one processing unit; and   a visualization tool storable in memory and executable by the at least one processing unit, the visualization tool comprising a display component configured to:
 display the set of buildings and the plurality of interconnections in the virtual city environment; and 
 display a plurality of floors and a plurality of rooms within each of the plurality of floors of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of floors of a building of the set of buildings represents a software component of the software solution represented by the building, and wherein each of the plurality of rooms within each floor of the building represents a different version of the software component represented by the floor of the building. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a linking component configured to interconnect at least two of the plurality of floors, wherein each interconnection represents a communication between the software component represented by the at least two of the plurality of floors. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a staging component configured to provide a plurality of furniture items within a room of each of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of furniture items represents a stage of the software code. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  further comprising a satisfaction component configured to adjust a characteristic within the room based on a satisfaction level for the version of the software component represented by the room. 
     
     
         12 . A computer-readable physical storage device storing computer instructions, which when executed, generates a visualization of software code using a set of buildings, the computer instructions comprising:
 representing software code using a set of buildings in a virtual city environment, wherein each building of the set of buildings represent a software solution; and   displaying a plurality of floors and a plurality of rooms within each of the plurality of floors of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of floors represents a software component of the software solution represented by the building, and wherein each of the plurality of rooms within each floor of the building represents a different version of the software component represented by the building.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable physical storage device according to  claim 12 , further comprising instructions for displaying an interconnection between at least two of the plurality of floors, wherein each interconnection represents a communication between the software components represented by the at least two of the plurality of floors. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable physical storage device according to  claim 12 , further comprising instructions for displaying a plurality of furniture items within a room of each of the set of buildings, wherein each of the plurality of furniture items represents a stage of the software code. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable physical storage device according to  claim 14 , wherein the room has one or more characteristics, the computer readable medium further comprising instructions for adjusting a characteristic within the room based on a satisfaction level for the version of the software component represented by the room. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable physical storage device according to  claim 12 , further comprising representing a plurality of interconnections between at least two buildings of the set of buildings, wherein a higher number of interconnections between two buildings is generated to reflect a higher level of interconnectivity between the software solutions represented by the two buildings. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable physical storage device according to  claim 16 , wherein a higher number of interconnections between two buildings is generated to reflect a higher level of interconnectivity between the software solutions represented by the two buildings.