The Parallel Performance Visualization (PARASEER) project applies the metaphor of "visual abstraction," proven successful in scientific visualization, to the problem of visualizing parallel performance information. A formal methodology is developed for mapping parallel performance data to visual displays based on a theory of "performance behavior abstraction" and "performance views." The methodology is implemented as a high-level, representational framework that can be used to describe how, independent of graphics technology, conceptual performance characteristics embodied in the performance abstractions are rendered in the performance views. The ultimate goal of the PARASEER project is to explore new parallel performance visualization techniques and to evaluate their effectiveness in real parallel performance problem domains. In addition to the formal framework for performance visualization design, PARASEER will take two approaches to developing performance display graphics. The first builds interfaces to existing data visualization software to provide a flexible environment for performance display prototyping. This approach leverages the tools' capabilities for handling large data sets, their support for distributed processing, and their extensible visualization to graphical user interface software to provide more programmatic performance visualization support.
