3 Replies Latest reply on Apr 18, 2016 4:59 AM by Peter Empey

    Redesign Critique

    Peter Empey
    Peter Empey Mar 23, 2016 9:46 PM

      Someone mentioned this graphic on Twitter for makeovermonday and after reading the article and looking at the viz I decided to take a crack at it now.  My goal was to first recreate the viz using Tableau, this was for practice and try and understand the original intent.  After doing that I wanted to redesign keeping as close to the original design as posable.  I just wanted to find a few small changes that would help improve story telling.  Along the way I learned a few new techniques and so I tried them out as well.  Below you will find the original graphic as well as my remake and redesign.  Let me know what you think and what I could have done better.  Thanks

       

      Original

      WSJDataScienceTime.jpg

       

      My Remake in Tableau

      Data Scientest Time WSJ Remake.png

      My Redesigns

      Using two views

      Data Scientest Time Redesign.png

      Using single view and small multiples technique.

      Data Scientes Time Pannel.png

       

      https://public.tableau.com/static/images/Wh/WheredoestheTimegoWSJ/Original/1.png

        • 1. Re: Redesign Critique
          diego.medrano Apr 14, 2016 3:13 PM (in response to Peter Empey)

          Hey Peter,

           

          This looks awesome! I've moved it over to Viz Talk where you're more likely to receive feedback.

           

          -Diego

          • 2. Re: Redesign Critique
            Simon Runc
            Simon Runc Ambassador Apr 18, 2016 3:40 AM (in response to Peter Empey)

            hi Peter,

             

            Good work, and thanks for sharing...trying to re-create (exactly in your case) another Viz in Tableau is a great way to learn.

             

            I think your version is far easier (than the original) to see what the Viz is saying...btw here is an interesting blog defending the blanket rejection of all pie-charts! www.datavizmyths.com (which has some merits), however in this case I think the bars are far more quickly digested (by me anyway).

             

            I did have a quick play with your version, and came up with this slight change (I have a general preference for horizontal bars...but this is a personal choice!)...let me know what you recon?

             

            • 3. Re: Redesign Critique
              Peter Empey
              Peter Empey Apr 18, 2016 4:59 AM (in response to Simon Runc)

              Thanks for your review Simon.  I think that the horizontal bar works for this viz just as well as the vertical.  I tend to default to horizontal bars myself, especially when scrolling might come in to play.  I like it. 

               

              I eventually blogged about my experience and had something the similar to say about pie charts.

              A Little Redesign

              Now an aside on pie charts, I have a soft spot for pie charts.  I mean how could anything named after such a perfect food be that bad.  To brow from programing, I feel like they are the GO TOs of visualizations; they can be extremely powerful but they are far to easy to misuse and it is better to avoid them then to used them the wrong way.

              So I appreciate the link to a similar point of view.  It is always good to know that yo are not the only one who thinks a particular way, helps me know I am not crazy.