Here are two ways to display a relatively large dataset, montly unemployment rates by state since 1976. The first one, above, is perfect to see the overall patterns, the range from the lowest to the highest, the outliers and the slopes. An interactive version would allow the user to highlight specific series. A small-multiple version … Read more
Human creativity is virtually limitless. But: You don’t vary color by data point. You don’t force the eyes to a pendular movement if you can avoid it. You don’t use a legend when you can use axis labels. You can’t have a residual category that large. Bloggers don’t seem to learn, even with a good teacher. … Read more
I’m writing an e-book, kind of “101 Data Visualization Questions You Were Afraid to Ask”, and I’d really appreciate your help. You just have to submit your data visualization question(s) using the contact form on the right (feel free to add additional suggestions or comments). The best 101 messages win a free copy of the … Read more
Most managers don’t care about a better visualization of business data. As a reader puts it: Short of locking management in a room with Tufte and Few, how do I sell management on the value of seeing things differently? Instead of trying to sell, let’s see why the aren’t buying. Here are some reasons. Good … Read more
Nathan discusses this chart. He says: I know a lot of you don’t like bubbles in your viz, but this one works for me. Jon Peltier, in the comments, argues that: Sets of bars would have been more effective. Tim adds the definitive argument: “Always using bar charts is like always using missionary position. It … Read more
I humbly accept our business visualization reality: 90% of all business charts are created in Excel and most business users are unwilling to learn yet another application and go through all sorts of hassles (data management, compatibility issues, file sharing) just because a different product offers a bigger chart gallery and some obscure defaults no … Read more
Do you want to know how the unemployment rate sounds like? Copy this string: 65536,32768,16384,16384,16384,4096, 4096,2048,1024,1024,256,128,64,16,4,2 and paste it into here (right-click, past). Now the Dow Jones Index: 2,4,4,2,2,32,32,16,64,1024,2048,4096, 16384,65536,32768,16384 All together now: 65538,32772,16388,16386,16386, 4128,4128,2064,1088,1024,2304, 4224,16448,65552,32772,16386 This is fun. (Big gloomy smile.)
I have a confession to make: my past is paved with chart-making sins, including some capital ones (yes, 3D pie charts, too). But years ago I saw the light in Edward Tufte’s The Visual Display of Quantitative Information and since then I’ve been avoiding eye-candy temptations. Now I do my best to pursuit the path … Read more
In a recent article for the New York Times, Paul Krugman, the 2008 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics, writes: “The banking industry that emerged from that collapse [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][the Great Depression] … Read more
Some years ago, as part of my (then) new job, I had to maintain a monthly updated Excel dashboard. It was a maintenance hell, I hated it, but I couldn’t change it because of my poor Excel skills. “This is stupid, there must be a better way”, I kept saying to myself. So, I searched, … Read more