Motion Charts

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A New York Times article, “What Does Opportunity Look Like Where You Live?,” includes motion charts depicting life expectancy, commute times, and other variables across the U.S.

Although imperfect, the charts show changes over time. The movement is an effective way to dramatize differences between groups, as Gapminder has done with UN data for years.

Income.PNG

Discussion:

  • The bubbles move when they are first loaded on the page, but I can’t seem to “interact” with them the way I expect to with an “interactive graphic.” What did you expect? Could these be improved?

  • Some charts have a truncated axis; for example, one about life expectancy starts at 60. What are the implications, and should this be avoided?

  • What, if anything, surprises you about the data presented?