Why Collapsible Descendancy Charts?

Collapsible descendancy charts were developed by Jed Pack for the John Pack Family Website.

They differ from traditional descendancy charts in that they can be tailored to fit the desires of the person constructing them.

To better understand collapsible descendancy trees let us consider a fruit bearing apple tree. The trunk of the tree is analogous to a mother and father. The main branches are analogous to their children (and their spouses). The minor branches are analogous to the grandchildren. Similar comparisons can be made for succeeding generations.

This tree is analogous to a traditional descendancy tree.

A collapsed descendancy tree is analogous to a tree from which branches have been removed to simplify the perceived relationship between a very small branch and the trunk of the tree.

Suppose we remove all main branches of the tree except for one. Next all minor branches can be removed with the exception of one. This process can be continued until only a few of the smallest branches remain.

The relationship between the trunk and smallest branches is now much easier to understand because only the essential branches remain on the tree.

Unlike a fruit tree the branches of a collapsible descendancy tree can be restored. Suppose a person represented by one of the smallest branches wants to see his cousins. That can be done by restoring the uncle (or aunt) branches.

The collapsible descendancy chart is fully customizable to suit the desires of the user.