Comments on: Alternative to Cartograms Using Transparency http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/ Strength in Numbers Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:09:32 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: RedRat http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-42212 RedRat Sat, 17 Apr 2010 17:38:28 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-42212 I guess I need a new graphics card, but that map was virtually impossible to see, it being black and all that. Perhaps a different color scheme. Basically I gave up on this one. I guess I need a new graphics card, but that map was virtually impossible to see, it being black and all that. Perhaps a different color scheme. Basically I gave up on this one.

]]> By: Jon Peltier http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-19075 Jon Peltier Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:52:11 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-19075 >> So, we have two U.S. senators from every state and >> at least one state senator from every county, >> regardless of population. > Actually, that’s not the case. It's not? What's wrong with the statement? It's incomplete, because DC also gets one representative, and some territories have delegates. >> So, we have two U.S. senators from every state and
>> at least one state senator from every county,
>> regardless of population.

> Actually, that’s not the case.

It’s not? What’s wrong with the statement? It’s incomplete, because DC also gets one representative, and some territories have delegates.

]]> By: Adam Villani http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-19046 Adam Villani Mon, 17 Nov 2008 09:21:47 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-19046 <i>So, we have two U.S. senators from every state and at least one state senator from every county, regardless of population.</i> Actually, that's not the case. I do like this map, but I think one problem is that you scaled the brightness to population, rather than population density. I think this makes places like San Bernardino County, California, or Maricopa County, Arizona, look more influential than they are. So, we have two U.S. senators from every state and at least one state senator from every county, regardless of population.

Actually, that’s not the case.

I do like this map, but I think one problem is that you scaled the brightness to population, rather than population density. I think this makes places like San Bernardino County, California, or Maricopa County, Arizona, look more influential than they are.

]]> By: An Undistorted Election Results Map | PTS Blog http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18312 An Undistorted Election Results Map | PTS Blog Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:16:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18312 [...] Nathan of Flowing Data first showed me the electoral cartograms, and also led me to the following approach. [...] [...] Nathan of Flowing Data first showed me the electoral cartograms, and also led me to the following approach. [...]

]]> By: Jon Peltier http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18297 Jon Peltier Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:35:06 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18297 As I think on Andy's and Axis maps' visualizations, I begin to interpret their maps as follows: Take the amount of blue or red ink used in the distorted cartograms, and spread it over the undistorted state's area. California and the Northeast remain deeply colored, while the Midwest is lightened. It's a convoluted way to get to the transparency maps, but it works for me, since I've already internalized the cartograms and their unique distortions. (I recall seeing the homunculus diagrams as a fairly young child, 6 or 7 years old, and knowing right away what it was showing. Whatever happened to that smart kid?) I suspect that if the background were white instead of black that it might have been easier to take in at first glance. As I think on Andy’s and Axis maps’ visualizations, I begin to interpret their maps as follows:

Take the amount of blue or red ink used in the distorted cartograms, and spread it over the undistorted state’s area. California and the Northeast remain deeply colored, while the Midwest is lightened.

It’s a convoluted way to get to the transparency maps, but it works for me, since I’ve already internalized the cartograms and their unique distortions. (I recall seeing the homunculus diagrams as a fairly young child, 6 or 7 years old, and knowing right away what it was showing. Whatever happened to that smart kid?)

I suspect that if the background were white instead of black that it might have been easier to take in at first glance.

]]> By: Moritz Stefaner http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18281 Moritz Stefaner Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:32:15 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18281 @Andy: Essentially, I meant there is a thin line between compensating for not enough space on the map, given the population and overrepresenting the relative importance of California/East coast states. I would not know how to map size compensation to difference color value, and I am not sure if there really is a proper way to do it, given, e.g. the mentioned context-dependency of brightness perception. @Andy: Essentially, I meant there is a thin line between compensating for not enough space on the map, given the population and overrepresenting the relative importance of California/East coast states. I would not know how to map size compensation to difference color value, and I am not sure if there really is a proper way to do it, given, e.g. the mentioned context-dependency of brightness perception.

]]> By: Andy Woodruff http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18243 Andy Woodruff Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:03:12 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18243 Thanks, Jon, and thanks for getting conversation(s) going on our site too! Thanks, Jon, and thanks for getting conversation(s) going on our site too!

]]> By: Jon Peltier http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18236 Jon Peltier Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:51:43 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18236 Andy - Good blog by the way. Very interesting work. Andy -

Good blog by the way. Very interesting work.

]]> By: Andy Woodruff http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18223 Andy Woodruff Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:27:56 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18223 Moritz, I am uncertain what exactly you mean by this: "Also, you are modifying visual saliency a lot by these contrast difference, essentially highlighting small and dense states. " Highlighting small and dense states is part of the point, and it is essentially what a cartogram would do too, right? The debate over the effectiveness of this map brings up a lot of interesting suggestions for variations. Keep watch at the <a href="http://www.axismaps.com/blog" rel="nofollow">Axis Maps blog</a> and I'll try to post a few different ways of slicing the data. In the meantime, it's good to see some good old fashioned cartographic discussion here. (And we definitely appreciate the link, Nathan!) Moritz, I am uncertain what exactly you mean by this: “Also, you are modifying visual saliency a lot by these contrast difference, essentially highlighting small and dense states. ” Highlighting small and dense states is part of the point, and it is essentially what a cartogram would do too, right?

The debate over the effectiveness of this map brings up a lot of interesting suggestions for variations. Keep watch at the Axis Maps blog and I’ll try to post a few different ways of slicing the data. In the meantime, it’s good to see some good old fashioned cartographic discussion here. (And we definitely appreciate the link, Nathan!)

]]> By: Jeffrey Ventrella http://flowingdata.com/2008/11/13/alternative-to-cartograms-using-transparency/#comment-18220 Jeffrey Ventrella Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:52:01 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1115#comment-18220 Nice job. I think of the cartogram as a "homunculus" - those distorted human forms that represent somatosensory sensitivty in the human body - big faces, eyes, tongues, and hands. But creepy and hard to get past to see the real info. A human form with color intensity of red representing skin sensitivity or motor control might be better. One suggestion, though: what you are calling "transparency" is really just a variation of coloring. I would prefer to use the idea of "saturation". Which is similar. So, for instance, pure gray would represent no particular leaning, while bright blue would be total democrat and pure red would be total republican. You're using black instead of gray (or instead of purple, which we have already seen). If you have studied Edwrd Tufte (highly recommended) you know about the ways that color can be used to deliver information. Hue (rainbow spectrum) is best for showing different "kinds" of things (like political affiliation), whereas saturation or brightness is good for representing the amount or intensity. At any rate, I'm glad that people are giving alternatives to these "maps that lie", which the mainstream news media keeps throwing at us. -Jeffrey Nice job.
I think of the cartogram as a “homunculus” – those distorted human forms that represent somatosensory sensitivty in the human body – big faces, eyes, tongues, and hands. But creepy and hard to get past to see the real info. A human form with color intensity of red representing skin sensitivity or motor control might be better.

One suggestion, though: what you are calling “transparency” is really just a variation of coloring. I would prefer to use the idea of “saturation”. Which is similar. So, for instance, pure gray would represent no particular leaning, while bright blue would be total democrat and pure red would be total republican. You’re using black instead of gray (or instead of purple, which we have already seen).

If you have studied Edwrd Tufte (highly recommended) you know about the ways that color can be used to deliver information. Hue (rainbow spectrum) is best for showing different “kinds” of things (like political affiliation), whereas saturation or brightness is good for representing the amount or intensity.

At any rate, I’m glad that people are giving alternatives to these “maps that lie”, which the mainstream news media keeps throwing at us.
-Jeffrey

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