Evaluating Graphics
Approach to creating
criteria: Begin by examining
the guidelines for
constructing graphics and
work these into criteria for
evaluating graphics.
1
Tufte’s rules Cleveland’s principles Carr’s modifications
Wainer’s analysis
Friendly’s gallery
Our criteria
Tufte’s Rules
Show the data
Induce the viewer to think about the data
Avoid distorting what the data have to say
Present many numbers in a small space
Make large data sets coherent
Reveal the data at several levels of detail
Serve a reasonably clear purpose
Be closely integrated with the statistical and verbal
descriptions of the data
2
Show the data
What is the data in
this picture?
Source: http://xxi.ac-reims.fr/fig-stdie/actes/actes_2000/thouez/t13.gif
3
Data
Address of people who died from cholera
Location of water pumps
!
Support
Map of London
!
..................Improvements
De-emphasize the map to raise the focus on
the data
4
Data-ink ratio
Divide the total ink used to draw the data
by the total ink used to draw the graphic.
How do you calculate this? Not easily!
5
Avoid distorting the data
What’s the data?
How is it represented?
Year
Time line
Fuel economy standard
Line segment
6
Lie Factor (Tufte)
Size of effect shown in graphic
Size of effect in data
Should be
close to 1
Fuel economy example
Data
27.5-18.0
x100 = 53%
18.0
5.3-0.6 x 100 = 783%
0.6
783
Lie factor =
= 14.8 >>> 1 Huge!
53
Graphic
7
Avoid distorting the data
C B
1
Chesham
Change at
Chalfont & Latimer
on most trains
Amersham
Rickmansworth
Hillingdon
Ruislip
Ickenham
Northolt
West Harrow
South Harrow
North
Acton
3
White
City
West
Acton
Ealing Common
East
Acton
South
Acton
C4
F4
D6
C6
C9
B9
D3
C3
E9
Baker Street
Balham
Bank
Barbican
Barking
Barkingside
Barons Court
Bayswater
Beckton
Ÿ Á
:
Á
:
Á:µ
Ÿ:
Áµ
1
3
1
1
4
5
2
1
3
Grid
D9
C9
B5
D6
C7
D5
B7
D8
C4
E6
D1
A6
C8
C7
B4
F5
C8
B3
B3
A8
A4
Stations
Beckton Park
Becontree
Belsize Park
Bermondsey
Bethnal Green
Blackfriars
Blackhorse Road
Blackwall
Bond Street
Borough
Boston Manor
Bounds Green
Bow Church
Bow Road
Brent Cross
Brixton
Bromley-by-Bow
Brondesbury
Brondesbury Park
Buckhurst Hill
Burnt Oak
e
rv
ic
se
s
Bu
Waterloo & City
Docklands Light Railway
Airport interchange
Jubilee
Grid
C
Facilities
Áµ
Á:
Áµ
ŸÁ
Áµ
:
Á
µ
Á
ŸÁ
Á
ŸÁ:
Ÿ
Zones
3
5
2
2
2
1
3
2
1
1
4
3/4
2
2
3
2
2/3
2
2
5
4
Stations
B6 Caledonian Road
B6 Caledonian Road
& Barnsbury
B5 Camden Road
B5 Camden Town
D7 Canada Water
D8 Canary Wharf
D8 Canning Town
D6 Cannon Street
B7 Canonbury
A3 Canons Park
A1 Chalfont & Latimer
B5 Chalk Farm
C5 Chancery Lane
D5 Charing Cross
A1 Chesham
A9 Chigwell
D2 Chiswick Park
A1 Chorleywood
F4 Clapham Common
F4 Clapham North
F4 Clapham South
A6 Cockfosters 2
Facilities
µ
Á:µ
:µ
Á:µ
ŸÁ:
ŸÁ:µ
:
Ÿ Á : µ
Á
Ÿ Á : µ
Á
Á
Á
Ÿ Á :
Zones
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
1
2
5
C
2
1
1
D
5
3
B
2
2
2/3
5
Grid
Stations
Facilities
100m
A4 Colindale
F4 Colliers Wood
D5 Covent Garden
E8 Crossharbour
& London Arena
A2 Croxley
D9 Custom House
F8 Cutty Sark
D9 Cyprus
ŸÁ
Ÿ Á :
Áµ
Áµ
Áµ
A
3
2/3
3
B9
B9
B7
A8
F7
C8
B3
Dagenham East
Dagenham Heathway
Dalston Kingsland
Debden
Deptford Bridge
Devons Road
Dollis Hill
Á
:µ
5
5
2
6
2/3
2
3
C1
D2
D3
C2
A2
A5
Ealing Broadway
Ealing Common
Earl's Court
East Acton
Eastcote
East Finchley
D
E
New Cross Gate
µ
Ÿ Á
Áµ
µ
:
Á:
µ
Ÿ:
Ÿ Á
4
3
1
2
3
3
1/2
2
5
3
Grid
Stations
C8 East Ham
D8 East India
E3 East Putney
A4 Edgware
C4 Edgware Road (Bakerloo)
C4 Edgware Road
(Circle/District/H&C)
E5 Elephant & Castle
B9 Elm Park
F7 Elverson Road
D5 Embankment
A8 Epping
C5 Euston
C5 Euston Square
F
B9
C6
A5
B4
B4
B6
E3
G
Fairlop
Farringdon
Finchley Central
Finchley Road
Finchley Road & Frognal
Finsbury Park
Fulham Broadway
E9 Gallions Reach
Facilities
Áµ
Áµ
Á
ŸÁ
µ
Áµ
Ÿ Á : µ
:∏
Ÿ:
:
Ÿ Á
Grid
3/4
2/3
2/3
5
1
1
B8
D3
B4
D3
C5
B5
A9
C5
B1
F7
D4
E2
Gants Hill
Gloucester Road
Golders Green
Goldhawk Road
Goodge Street
Gospel Oak
Grange Hill
Great Portland Street
Greenford
Greenwich
Green Park
Gunnersbury
B7
B7
A9
D3
B5
B5
C2
B3
A3
B2
E1
Hackney Central
Hackney Wick
Hainault
Hammersmith
Hampstead
Hampstead Heath
Hanger Lane
Harlesden
Harrow & Wealdstone
Harrow-on-the Hill
Hatton Cross
1/2
6
2/3
1
6
1
1
Á:
µ
5
1
4
2
2
2
2
Áµ
3
H
Clapham
Common
Brixton
Stations
Facilities
Tooting Bec
King George V
E
Á:
Á
:
Ÿ Á :
Áµ
:
Á
Ÿ Á :
Áµ
Á:
ٵ
ŸÁ:
Ÿ Á
8
4
1
3
2
1
2
5
1
4
2/3
1
3
2
2
5
2
2/3
3
3
3
5
5
5/6
Stations
E1 Heathrow Terminals
1, 2, 3
E1 Heathrow Terminal 4
A4 Hendon Central
D8 Heron Quays
A5 High Barnet
B6 Highbury & Islington
A5 Highgate
D3 High Street Kensington
A1 Hillingdon
C5 Holborn
C3 Holland Park
B6 Holloway Road
B7 Homerton
B9 Hornchurch
E1 Hounslow Central
D1 Hounslow East
E1 Hounslow West
D4 Hyde Park Corner
I
Facilities
Deptford Bridge
:µ∏
:
µ
Ÿ Á :
Á
Ÿ
Ÿ Á µ
Á
Ÿ Á
Á
Ÿ:µ
Ÿ Á µ
6
6
3/4
2
5
2
3
1
6
1
2
2
2
6
4
4
5
1
Ÿ Á
:µ
6
2
E5 Kennington
Á
2
Grid
Stations
B3
B3
D3
B5
B5
A3
E2
B4
C3
B3
C5
D4
Kensal Green
Kensal Rise
Kensington (Olympia)
Kentish Town
Kentish Town West
Kenton
Kew Gardens
Kilburn
Kilburn Park
Kingsbury
King’s Cross St. Pancras
Knightsbridge
C3
E5
C4
C3
D5
F7
B8
B8
D7
C6
D6
Ladbroke Grove
Lambeth North
Lancaster Gate
Latimer Road
Leicester Square
Lewisham
Leyton
Leytonstone
Limehouse
Liverpool Street
London Bridge
L
Station in Zone D
Station in Zone C
Station in Zone B
Station in Zone A
Station in Zone 6 and Zone A
6
Station in Zone 6
5
4
Elverson Road
Lewisham
Station in Zone 5
3
Station in Zone 3
Station in Zone 2
Station in both zones
Station in Zone 1
1
Facilities
:µ
Á:µ
Á:µ
Á:
Á:∏
Á
Á
Á: µ
:
Ÿ:
µ
Á:∏
:µ
Zones
2
2
2
2
2
4
3/4
2
2
4
1
1
2
1
1
2
1
2/3
3
3/4
2
1
1
Grid
6
Stations
A8 Loughton
M
C3
B6
D5
C4
C4
C7
A5
D6
C6
A2
F4
B5
E8
Maida Vale
Manor House
Mansion House
Marble Arch
Marylebone
Mile End
Mill Hill East
Monument
Moorgate
Moor Park
Morden
Mornington Crescent
Mudchute
B3
B9
F7
F7
C2
C2
D1
D8
Neasden
Newbury Park
New Cross
New Cross Gate
North Acton
North Ealing
Northfields
North Greenwich
N
Facilities
Ÿ Á
Á:
Ÿ
Ÿ Á :
Ÿ:
µ
:
ŸÁ:
Áµ
ŸÁ:
Á:
Ÿ Á : µ
Zones
6
2
2/3
1
1
1
2
4
1
1
6/A
4
2
2
3
4
2
2
2/3
3
3
2/3
Grid
A2
B1
B3
B3
A2
A2
E9
C3
O
Stations
North Harrow
Northolt
North Wembley
Northwick Park
Northwood
Northwood Hills
North Woolwich
Notting Hill Gate
Facilities
Á:
Á:
Á:
Ÿ Á :
:
A6 Oakwood
C6 Old Street
D3 Olympia
D1 Osterley
F5 Oval
C4 Oxford Circus
Ÿ Á :
C3
C2
E3
C1
D5
E4
A2
C8
:
:
Á
Ÿ Á :
:∏
P
Paddington
Park Royal
Parsons Green
Perivale
Piccadilly Circus
Pimlico
Pinner
Plaistow
:µ
ŸÁ:
Ÿ Á :
ŸÁ
7
Zones
5
5
4
4
6
6
3
1/2
5
1
2
4
2
1
1
3
2
4
1
1
5
3
Grid
Stations
D8 Poplar
B3 Preston Road
D9 Prince Regent
C8 Pudding Mill Lane
E3 Putney Bridge
Q
Facilities
Á: µ
:
Áµ
µ
Á
Zones
2
4
3
2/3
2
A3 Queensbury
B3 Queen’s Park
C3 Queensway
Ÿ Á :
4
2
1
D3
B2
B8
C4
E2
A1
A8
D7
D9
C3
D9
A1
B1
A2
Á
Ÿ Á :
Ÿ Á :
2
5
4
1
4
A
5
2
3
2
3
6
5
6
R
Ravenscourt Park
Rayners Lane
Redbridge
Regent’s Park
Richmond
Rickmansworth
Roding Valley
Rotherhithe
Royal Albert
Royal Oak
Royal Victoria
Ruislip
Ruislip Gardens
Ruislip Manor
Ÿ Á : µ
Ÿ Á :
Á
Áµ
Áµ
Ÿ Á :
Ÿ:
:
Grid
This diagram is an evolution of the original design conceived in 1931 by Harry Beck
Poster 09.05
8
Stations
Facilities
1
C5 Russell Square
S
D4 St. James’s Park
C4 St. John’s Wood
C6 St. Paul’s
B7 Seven Sisters
D7 Shadwell
C3 Shepherd’s Bush
(Central)
D3 Shepherd’s Bush
(Hammersmith & City)
C7 Shoreditch
E9 Silvertown
D4 Sloane Square
B8 Snaresbrook
D2 South Acton
D2 South Ealing
E3 Southfields
A6 Southgate
B2 South Harrow
D4 South Kensington
B3 South Kenton
E8 South Quay
B1 South Ruislip
Zones
Á:
Á:
1
2
1
3
2
2
2
Ÿ Á :
Ÿ
:
µ
Ÿ Á
2
3
1
4
3
3
3
4
5
1
4
2
5
Grid
E5
F4
B8
D2
A3
C7
F5
B3
C8
B2
B2
E7
B4
T
Stations
Southwark
South Wimbledon
South Woodford
Stamford Brook
Stanmore
Stepney Green
Stockwell
Stonebridge Park
Stratford
Sudbury Hill
Sudbury Town Surrey Quays
Swiss Cottage
D5 Temple
A8 Theydon Bois
F4 Tooting Bec
F4 Tooting Broadway
C5 Tottenham
Court Road
B7 Tottenham Hale
A5 Totteridge &
Whetstone
D7 Tower Gateway
Facilities
Áµ
Ÿ Á :
Á:
Ÿ Á : µ
µ
:
Ÿ Á : µ
Á
Á
Ÿ :
F
Station in Zone 4
Station in both zones
2
5
Zones
A1 Ickenham
E8 Island Gardens
K
D
C
B
A
Greenwich
Improvement work to tracks and stations may
affect your journey, particularly at weekends.
For help planning your journey look for
publicity at stations, call 020 7222 1234
or visit www.tfl.gov.uk
South Wimbledon
Morden
Grid
Explanation of zones
for Maritime Greenwich
Tooting Broadway
Colliers Wood
Zones
100m
Balham
4
Zones
Cutty Sark
New Cross
Stockwell
Clapham South
3
Elephant & Castle
Kennington
Clapham North
3
Zones
Gallions
Reach
Beckton
North Woolwich
Mudchute
Clapham High Street 100m
Connection with
Tramlink
National Rail
1
Silvertown
Surrey Quays
At off-peak times most trains run
to/from Morden via the Bank branch.
To travel to/from the Charing Cross
branch please change at Kennington.
Connections with
riverboat services
Opens
December 2005
Cyprus
London
City
Airport
5
Hammersmith & City
Pontoon
Dock
Heron Quays
Crossharbour &
London Arena
Borough
Waterloo East
Vauxhall
Connections with
National Rail
Victoria
Beckton Park
Island Gardens
Interchange stations
Piccadilly
Royal Albert
0
ns 20
pe r
O be
m
ce
Originally designed by Harry Beck,
1931
B
2
3
1
1
2
4
D
1
2/3
4
2
Northern
D
Prince Regent
De
µ
:
ŸÁ:
Zones
Central
East London
Transport for London
Facilities
Metropolitan
North
Greenwich
2
Canada
Water
South Quay
Oval
District
Canary Wharf
Southfields
Bakerloo
Custom House
West
Silvertown
West India
Quay
Lambeth
North
East Putney
Circle
For a map of all Railways in
Greater London, consult the
High Frequency Services Map nearby
Index to stations
Southwark
Pimlico
Key to lines and symbols
F
Bermondsey
Royal Victoria
for ExCeL
Wapping
Rotherhithe
London Bridge
Bus to London City Airport
Canning Town
East
India
Poplar
4
3
200m
Devons
Road
Blackwall
Limehouse
Tower
Gateway
Waterloo & City line
Mondays - Fridays 0615 - 2130
Saturdays 0800 - 1830
Sundays closed
Wimbledon
www.tfl.gov.uk
Tower
Hill
Fenchurch Street 150m
Westferry
C
Plaistow
West Ham
BromleyBow
Church by-Bow
All Saints
Shadwell
Charing Cross 100m
Waterloo
Putney Bridge
Richmond
Whitechapel
Aldgate
Monument
2
Stepney Green
Aldgate
East
River Thames
Embankment
River Thames
Heathrow
Terminal 4
Website
Stations
Westminster
Bow
Road
Upton Park
05
Parsons Green
Bank
Temple
1
Fulham Broadway
Kew Gardens
for Heathrow Terminal 4
St. James's
Park
Victoria
South
Kensington
Earl's
Court
Wimbledon Park
020 7918 3015
Acton Central
Acton Town
Aldgate
Aldgate East
All Saints
Alperton
Amersham
Angel
Archway
Arnos Grove
Arsenal
Sloane
Square
No Hammersmith & City line service
Whitechapel - Barking early mornings,
late evenings or all day Sundays.
East Ham
Pudding
Mill Lane
20
West
Kensington
West Brompton
Gunnersbury
Piccadilly
Circus
Barking
Mile End
Mondays - Fridays open
0700 - 1030 and 1530 - 2030
Saturdays closed
Sundays open 0700 - 1500
1
Dagenham
Heathway
Becontree
Upney
Stratford
Shoreditch
St. Paul's
Cannon Street
Leicester
Square Mansion
House
Open
Mondays - Fridays
Charing
until 2100 only
Saturdays 0730 - 1930
Cross
Blackfriars
2
Bethnal
Green
Liverpool
Street
Leyton
Homerton
r
be
Turnham Stamford Ravenscourt
Green
Brook
Park
Chancery
Lane
Holborn
Old Street
Moorgate
Covent Garden
Green Park
3
Hackney
Wick
B
Hornchurch
Elm Park
Dagenham
East
m
ce
E
Textphone
A
Gloucester
Road
Open Mondays Saturdays
Tottenham
Court Road
Hyde Park
Corner
Dalston
Kingsland
Upminster
Upminster
Bridge
Gants
Hill
De
Hammersmith
Also served by
Piccadilly line
trains early
mornings and
late evenings
Oxford
Circus
Hackney
Central
Canonbury
Barkingside
s
Boston Manor
Chiswick
Park
Hounslow
East
Osterley
Hounslow
Hounslow
West
Central
Heathrow
Terminals
1, 2, 3
Hatton Cross
Russell
Square
Euston 200m
Goodge
Street
Marble
Arch
Knightsbridge
Barons
Court
020 7222 1234
D2
D2
D6
D7
D8
B2
A1
C6
B5
A6
B6
High Street
Kensington
Mondays - Saturdays
open 0700-2345
Sundays
open 0800-2345
Goldhawk Road
24 hour travel information
Grid
Queensway
Closed until May 2006
Northfields
For journey planning and
travel advice call
Other Railways
Notting Lancaster Bond
Gate Street
Hill Gate
Wanstead
Highbury &
Islington
Farringdon
Barbican
Fairlop
Leytonstone
Caledonian
Road &
Barnsbury
A
Hainault
Newbury
Park
Redbridge
n
pe
South Ealing
2
Acton
Central
Shepherd's
Bush
Acton
Town
D
Holland
Park
Shepherd's
Bush
Kensington
(Olympia)
Holloway Road
Angel
Euston
Square
Warren Street
Regent’s Park
Marylebone
Walthamstow
Central
Tottenham
Hale
4
South
Woodford
Finsbury
Park
King's Cross
St. Pancras
Bayswater
Latimer Road
or nearby
Travel information
Edgware
Road
Blackhorse
Road
Caledonian Road
Great
Portland Euston
Street
Baker
Street
Manor House
Camden
Road
Mornington
Crescent
Grange
Hill
Woodford
Seven
Sisters
Snaresbrook
Kentish
Town
Camden Town
Swiss Cottage
St. John's Wood
Wood Green
Turnpike Lane
Arsenal
5
Chigwell
No service between
Woodford - Hainault
after 2000 hours
Tufnell Park
Kentish
Town West
No entry from the street
on Sundays 1300 - 1730
(exit and interchange only)
Finchley Road
Edgware
Road
Paddington
Paddington
Bounds Green
Archway
Gospel
Oak
Roding
Valley
Buckhurst Hill
Highgate
6
Debden
Loughton
Arnos Grove
Finchley Central
Chalk Farm
200m
9
Epping
Theydon Bois
Southgate
Woodside Park
West Finchley
Belsize Park
Maida Vale
Ladbroke Grove
Park Royal
North Ealing
Covent Garden station gets
very busy at weekends and in
the evenings, but you can avoid
the crowds by walking there
from Holborn, Leicester Square
or Charing Cross.
The short walk is clearly
signposted above ground
and maps are on display at
each station.
Kilburn
West
Hampstead
Kensal Rise Brondesbury
Kensal Green
Queen's Park
Kilburn Park
Warwick Avenue
Royal Oak
Westbourne Park
Hanger
Lane
Finchley Road
& Frognal
8
Totteridge & Whetstone
Mill Hill East
Hampstead
Heath
Dollis Hill
Brondesbury
Park
Willesden Junction
Perivale
654
Hampstead
Willesden Green
Alperton
Ealing
Broadway
Neasden
7
Cockfosters
Oakwood
3
Brent Cross
Golders Green
Wembley
Park
6
High Barnet
East Finchley
Hendon Central
Kingsbury
Preston
Road
Stonebridge Park
Harlesden
Sudbury Town
0845 330 9880
∏ Travel Information Centres
Queensbury
Kenton
Wembley Central
Sudbury Hill Harrow
150m
To plan a journey in a wheelchair,
C
see our leaflet ‘Tube access
guide’ or call
Burnt
Oak
Canons Park
Northwick
Park
South Kenton
North Wembley
Sudbury Hill
Greenford
Edgware
5
Colindale
Rayners Lane
South
Ruislip
Stations displaying this symbol
in the index have step-free
access between the street and
platforms. This facility is useful
for passengers with luggage,
shopping or buggies as well as
for wheelchair users
The index on this map also shows
Special fares apply for
printed single and return
tickets to and from this station
Harrowon-the-Hill
No Piccadilly line service
Uxbridge - Rayners Lane
in the early mornings
B
Stanmore
Pinner
North Harrow
Eastcote
Ruislip
Gardens
5
4
4
Harrow &
Wealdstone
Northwood
Northwood
Hills
Ruislip Manor
Uxbridge
3
Moor Park
West Ruislip
µ Step-free access
Á Bicycle parking
‰ Car parks
∑ Stations with toilets on site
2
Watford
Croxley
Chorleywood
A
Sponsored by
Station facilities
A
Chalfont &
Latimer
O
This is clearly a
distorted view ofTube
the
famous London map
Underground (The
Tube)!
!
BUT... What’s the
data?
!
Sequence of
stations
Interchanges
between stations
D
9
Zones
1
3/4
4
2
5
2
2
3
3
4
4
2
2
1
6
3
3
1
Ÿ Á : µ
Ÿ Á :
3
4
µ
1
Grid
Stations
Facilities
D6 Tower Hill
B5 Tufnell Park
D2 Turnham Green
A6 Turnpike Lane
U
B9
B9
C9
C8
A1
V
Upminster
Upminster Bridge
Upney
Upton Park
Uxbridge
E4 Vauxhall
D4 Victoria
W
B7
B8
D7
C5
C3
E5
A2
B3
B3
C2
Walthamstow Central
Wanstead
Wapping
Warren Street
Warwick Avenue
Waterloo
Watford
Wembley Central
Wembley Park
West Acton
TM Quad 2n Version 2 1/9/05
Zones
1
2
2/3
3
Ÿ Á : µ
:µ
Áµ
6
6
4
3
6
1/2
1
:∏
Ÿ Á
Ÿ
Á:
Ÿ Á :
:
Ÿ Á :
Á:
3
4
2
1
2
1
A
4
4
3
Grid
C3
D3
D7
A5
C8
B4
B2
D8
D3
D5
A1
C7
C3
B3
B3
E3
E3
A8
A6
A5
Stations
Westbourne Park
West Brompton
Westferry
West Finchley
West Ham
West Hampstead
West Harrow
West India Quay
West Kensington
Westminster
West Ruislip
Whitechapel
White City
Willesden Green
Willesden Junction
Wimbledon
Wimbledon Park
Woodford
Wood Green
Woodside Park
Facilities
µ
:µ
µ
:
:
µ
µ
Ÿ :
:
:
Á:
Á:µ
Ÿ Á : µ
Ÿ Á : µ
Á
Ÿ Á : µ
Zones
2
2
2
4
3
2
5
2
2
1
6
2
2
2/3
3
3
3
4
3
4
4 Colour Process + 4 Self Co
Chart junk
Interior decoration
of graphics that
generates a lot of
ink but does not
tell the viewer
anything new.
3 numbers, decorated by the “Rising
Sun” in front and a “Star-spangled
banner” at back. Add a 3D effect - from
Wainer (1997).
9
9
Chart junk
... was the assumption that data graphics
were mainly devices for showing the obvious
to the ignorant. It is hard to imagine any
doctrine more likely to stifle intellectual
progress in a field. The assumption led down
two fruitless paths in the graphically barren
years from 1930 to 1970: First, that graphics
had to be ‘alive’, ‘communicatively dynamic’,
over-decorated and exaggerated (otherwise
all the dullards in the audience would fall
asleep in the face of these boring statistics)....
10
10
More chart junk
Why use 3D? To distort
the perception of the
pie slices?
11
12
Beyond chart junk: Induce the
viewer to think about the data
How do you do this?
13
Cleveland’s principles of
graphical construction
Cleveland’s graphical construction
concerns primarily statistical plots of
data, for a scientific audience. The
two over-reaching principles are:
Make the data stand out
Avoid superfluity
14
Cleveland’s principles
Terminology: title, caption, legend/key, data
label, reference line, data rectangle, ...
Clear vision/understanding
Use of guides: scales, axes, tick marks, grid
lines, legends
Aspect ratio: scale of horizontal to vertical
Extensive captions
Resolution: clarity under re-scaling
15
De-emphasize
grids
7
5
6
Profit
8
UK Pig Production
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
Year
7
5
6
Profit
8
UK Pig Production
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
Year
Dan Carr: background+pale grid+dark data marks
Sets plot off from page, and makes grey scale equivalent to
text block of same size
16
Aspect ratio
o-
50 100
0
100
1750
1760
1770
1780
1790
1800
1810
1820
1830
1840
1850
1860
1870
1880
1890
1900
1910
1920
50
Year
Banking criterion
difficult to calculate
0
1780
1810
1840
1870
1900
1930
1960
1990
Year
6
7
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
Year
5
Profit
8
UK Pig Production
7
Profit
8
UK Pig Production
6
1750
5
Average number of sunspots
150
Average number of sunspots
Banking to 45 Lines on average are at
1967
1969
1971
1973
Year
17
1975
1977
1930
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
Familiarity and surprise
Use of conventions (Tufte, Wainer):
familiarity, ease of reading, for example,
!
!
!
Common types of plots - barchart,
pie chart, map, ...
Time on the horizontal axis, map
with north at top of page, ...
Bending conventions - elicit interest
18
Cognate Strategies
(Kostelnick & Roberts)
Arrangement (genre, spatial orientation)
Emphasis (color, figure-ground contrast)
Clarity (perceptual principles)
Conciseness (“chartjunk” and other clutter)
Tone (technical, subdued, loud)
Ethos (credible, relevant to readers)
19
Mapping data to elements
Numeric: points (along a line), area, size, angle
Categorical: Color, location on a line
Time: lines connecting consecutive points
Geography: map coordinates, points along line
in special coordinate system
20
Criteria for Evaluating Graphics
Context
(Rhetoric)
Content
(Aesthetic)
Perception
(Perceptual)
1. What is the main message? Sub-messages? Story.
2. Why/when was it produced? Does it have Kairos?
3. Who’s the audience?
4.
5.
6.
7.
What are the pieces of information?
How is the information coded into the graphic?
What conventions are used? What is unconventional?
Is the data accurately represented? Lie factor,
trustworthiness.
8. What is the ratio of data to ink in the plot? High,
medium, low.
9. What’s missing?
10.
11.
12.
13.
How clearly is the information represented?
What is emphasized, de-emphasized? How is the viewer drawn in?
What is your overall impression, opinion?
21
…And on a Global Scale
NORWAY
COSTA RICA
ECUADOR
PANAMA
PERU
COLOMBIA
ECUADORBOLIVIA
PERU PARAGUAY
CHILE
BOLIVIA
BOLIVIA
KAZAKHSTAN
MONGOLIA
AFGHANISTAN
IRELAND
BELGIUM
AUSTRIA
GER.
RUSSIA
UKRAINE
SOUTH
KOREA
CHINA
FRANCE
CZECH REP.
DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC
PORTUGAL
Crotia
BARBADOS
ALGERIA
Belguim
Poland
KazakhstanSwitzerland
France
TRINIDAD/TOBAGO
Russia Fed
VENEZUELA
BARBADOS
Bosnia/
Herz
JAMAICA
MEXICO
HAITI
GUATEMALA
BELIZE
EL SALVADOR
NICARAGUA
HONDURAS
GUATEMALA
GUATEMALA
COSTA RICA
VENEZUELA
PANAMA
EL SALVADOR
NICARAGUA
NICARAGUA COLOMBIA
BELARUS
BRITAIN
BAHAMAS
CUBA
MEXICO
NEPAL
ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA
NETHERLANDS
SURINAME
SENEGAL
GAMBIA
GUINEABISSAU
ARGENTINA
CHILE
PARAGUAY
URUGUAY
URUGUAY
INDIA
MIDDLE
EAST
MYANMAR
BALKANS
LIBYA
Moldova
BANGLADESH
SUDAN
VIETNAM
EGYPT
PHILIPPINES
Yugo
LAOS
THAILAND
UGANDA
NIGERIA
Czech
Rep
Lithuania
Latavia
BURKINA
FASO
CAMBODIA
NIGER
GUINEA
SRI LANKA
GHANA
SIERRA
LEONE
CHILE
Myanmar
SPAIN
TUNISIA
Austria
Ukraine
BARBADOS
SURINAME
Norway
TRINIDAD, TOBAGO
GUYANAMAURITANIA
Finland
Romania
GUYANA
Albania
Hungary
Greece
England
Spain
SURINAME
Ireland
Italy
Portugal Germany
Bulgaria
MOROCCO
MALI
BRAZIL
JAPAN
PAKISTAN
ITALY
Slovenia
UNITED STATES
POLAND
DENMARK
In many countries, reliable statistics on AIDS are
hard to obtain. Unaids, the United Nations AIDS
agency, relies on these numbers. Each square on
the grid represents 2,500 people with AIDS.
CANADA
FINLAND
SWEDEN
CANADA
CAMEROON
MALAYSIA
CHAD
LIBERIA
PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA
SINGAPORE
IVORY
COAST
ARGENTINA
BENIN
TOGO
ERITREA
ETHIOPIA
CENTRAL RWANDA
AFRICAN
REPUBLIC
INDONESIA
DJIBOUTI
Highly Industrialized Countries
AUSTRALIA
Latin America and the Caribbean
CONGO
REP.
North Africa and the Middle East
EACH DOT REPRESENTS
2,500 PEOPLE LIVING
WITH AIDS
KENYA
GABON
BURUNDI
NEW
ZEALAND
CONGO
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Southern and Eastern Asia
MALAWI
Sub-Saharan Africa
25 million
4 million
ZAMBIA
NEW CASES
The estimated number of new
H.I.V./AIDS cases in highly
industrialized countries has
decreased slightly since
the 1980’s but has
continued growing in
sub-Saharan Africa.
LIVING WITH AIDS
3 million
ANGOLA
ZIMBABWE
BOTSWANA
SWAZILAND
15 million
10 million
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SOUTHERN AND
EASTERN ASIA
EASTERN
EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA
HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED
COUNTRIES
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
NORTH AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
’80 ’82 ’84 ’86 ’88 ’90 ’92 ’94 ’96 ’98 ’00*
20 million
NAMIBIA
1 million
0
The estimated number of
people living with
H.I.V./AIDS has exploded
in sub-Saharan Africa
while staying relatively
level in highly
industrialized countries.
MOZAMBIQUE
2 million
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
TANZANIA
Sweeden
LESOTHO
SOUTHERN AND
EASTERN ASIA
MADAGASCAR
5 million
HIGHLY INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
0
SOUTH
AFRICA
* Preliminary numbers
EASTERN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA
NORTH AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST
’80 ’82 ’84 ’86 ’88 ’90 ’92 ’94 ’96 ’98 ’00*
Source: *UNAIDS
Preliminary
Source: UNAIDS
LIVING WITH AIDS
22
numbers
Context (Rhetoric)
1.
Main message: AIDS is a big problem in
the continent of Africa.
Sub-messages: • New AIDS cases in the highly industrialized
world are diminishing.
• Number of people living with AIDS in highly
industrialized countries is fairly flat now. • Numbers for China and Russia are suspicious.
2,3.Produced by the NY Times for its readership,
fairly educated audience. Probably not kairos right
now.
23
Content (Aesthetic)
4,5.Geographic location - xy position in rough map coords
Number of AIDS cases - as area
6. Map is familiar, sizes are all wrong!
7. Has a guide to number=area, accuracy high,
although it is in blocks of 2500 people.
8. Almost all of the ink is data. There is a lot of text,
and subsidiary information.
9. Perhaps population totals of country, to see
proportions or rates. Availability of drugs, health
care.
24
Perception
10. Mapping is made clear by legends, and explanations that
don’t dominate the graphical elements.
11. Counts of AIDS cases is emphasized.
12. Familiar view of shapes of countries draws us in,
but wrong sizes elicits interest.
13. I love it! There is a huge message and there are
multiple levels of detail.
25
ate?
nt to compare the voltage, and hence risk associated with tasers, in relation to other elect
g entities in our world, then the first thing to do would be to get the scales correct. What
our vertical axis? And where did you get your numbers? This is what we found using the inte
Electricity source
socket
electric fence
taser
stun gun
lightning bolt
Low
110
2000
50000
100 000
100 000 000
Volts
High
125
10000
50000
775 000
1 000 000 000
esting to also compare the voltage for stun guns.
A stun gun or a stun baton has to be in co
26
27