An Analysis of Printed Illustrations of Three Algorithm Design Techniques

The literature on algorithm visualizations lacks clear principles to guide the construction of effective visualizations for educational purposes. Consequently, we conducted an analysis of visualizations regarding three basic algorithm design techniques (divide and conquer, backtracking, and dynamic programming). The material analyzed was the illustrations found in prestigious algorithm textbooks, which prove to be high-quality sources. In this paper, we describe the methodology followed for our analysis and the results obtained, both general and specific of each algorithm design technique. The results are a first step in the way to identify design principles for algorithm visualizations based on algorithm-design techniques.