Google Motion Charts

Simple example

public example (larger)

Google help page, note this is on gadgets version which is deprecated, but works the same, just access from within Google Speadshett, via INSERT Motion Chart.

Converting Gapminder Data for use in Google Motion Charts

Follow these directions for uploading data into a Google doc and inserting a motion chart: http://www.gapminder.org/upload-data/motion-chart/

NOTE: You will need to transpose your data so it is in columns across (country, year, variable 1, variable 2). See above datasets for example (simple, public).

Here are detailed steps to formatting your data:

• 1. If the dataset is large, you will probably want to select just a subset to make the transposing process more manageable. Before transposing the data, I would recommend deleting rows for countries of lesser interest. You may also want to limit the time range by deleting some of the year columns.

  2. Once parsed, copy your entire dataset and open a new excel sheet. Rightclick and select Paste Special, check Transpose. This will flip the rows and columns. You should now have years in Column A and country-specific data in the remaining columns.

  3. You will need to create a new column A for country data. Paste in each country name for the number of corresponding data rows. That is, if you have 10 years of data, in column A the name for country #1 should be pasted into rows 2-11, the name for country #2 in rows 12-21, etc.

  4. Column B should now be years. Copy the years going down the rows so that each country in column A matches up to the same set of years. For example, years 2000-2010 for country #1 is in column B: rows 2-11, years 2000-2010 for country #2 is in column B: rows 12-21, etc.

  5. Column C is your first variable. Cut and paste the data (currently in columns across) for each country/years into the appropriate rows going down. For example, data for years 2000-2010 for country #1 is in column C: rows 2-11, data for years 2000-2010 for country #2 is in column c: rows 12-21, etc.

  6. Column D is your second variable pulled from another dataset. For example if you are using GDP data, you will need to download that excel sheet, transpose the data, and then paste in to Column D to match up with the correct country/years. For example, GDP data for years 2000-2010 for country #1 is in column D: rows 2-11, GDP data for years 2000-2010 for country #2 is in column D: rows 12-21, etc.

  7. Once your data is in the right format, cut and paste it into a Google Doc spreadsheet.

  8. In Google spreadsheet. click INSERT chart, then select Motion Chart type.

  9. Change the settings if desired (e.g., color), and play!