The visual display of quantitative information is a fascinating field. Here's an example, borrowed from Andrew Gelman's blog, Statistical Modeling, Causal Influence, and Social Science.
First, check out this chart showing the evolution of Crayola crayons colors over the decades. It's pretty satisfying, no?
But now look at this enhancement. Doesn't it work much better?
There is a lesson here for hospital people, for instance quality improvement staff trying to display graphs or charts for impatient board or medical exec committee members, who may have little idea what they are looking at. You have one chance to get their attention and therefore effect change - if they throw it down in disgust, you're lost. (I have actually seen this happen).
ReplyDeletenonlocal MD
The fan distribution of the colors is more aesthetically pleasing, but you lose the information about what year the split was made. I would argue that cutting information at the expense of making a “pretty” image depends on both your audience and the importance of the removed data.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I clipped off the year information. It was on the lower right.
ReplyDeleteAgree with Rees, despite the year info being there, if you're going to make comparisons with this data you would be better off with the first version.
ReplyDeleteDepends if you are a left brain or right brain kind of person, I think!
ReplyDelete