lingjie wang

Charts:

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Module:Chart

On this graph, some data (not shown on vertical axis) of some states from 1920 to 2010 are shown by bar chart. Based on Few’s perspective, it may have problems in some aspects.

Firstly, there are too many different colors used in this bar chart. Using colors to distinguish categorical data might be effective when there are only a few types, but under similar circumstances as this case, where the user intends to show data from 21 states, assigning each type with a specific color different from others may not be a good idea. Instead, it will be distracting and inefficient. It will be hard for viewers to correctly recognize each of them.

Also, the choice of using stacked bar chart may be confusing. It seems that the user intend to clearly stress the value of the total value and also the trend during 1920 and 2010. However, mixed with the color distinctions discussed above, whether the most important information the graph intends to express is about the whole or the difference between states is unclear, as such a large number of colors used in the graph seem to attach importance to the comparison between different states, while neither the precise value or proportion of each state is unable to read from the graph.

Thus, the first thing to do may be to re-determine messages in order of importance: the time-series relationship, the comparison between different states or the total value, in order to choose whether using a line chart for showing trend, vertical bar charts for comparing several categories or a simple bar chart with less distracting colors is better.

Test:

I have neither given nor received aid while working on this assignment. I have completed the graded portion BEFORE looking at anyone else's work on this assignment. Lingjie Wang