Comments on: Immigration Explorer Shows Largest Foreign-born Groups Since 1880 http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/12/immigration-explorer-shows-largest-foreign-born-groups-since-1880/ Strength in Numbers Sat, 20 Mar 2010 08:12:32 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Cartographer http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/12/immigration-explorer-shows-largest-foreign-born-groups-since-1880/#comment-25029 Cartographer Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:59:16 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1413#comment-25029 My students and I estimated that this visualization tool is driven by more than 927,072 data values (3219 county equivalent areas * 12 census dates * (23 places of origin + 1 summation)) - plus millions of coordinate pairs that define the shapes of the enumeration units and centers of each graduated circle. Yet, in less than 2 minutes, my students were beginning to make effective comparisons, identify trends, and recognize anomalies (and they loved the bubble control). The tool has a high content-to-ink ratio, is very easy to use, and (in my opinion) uses color very effectively. These attributes, I believe, are the hallmarks of a successful visualization tool. Kudos. My students and I estimated that this visualization tool is driven by more than 927,072 data values (3219 county equivalent areas * 12 census dates * (23 places of origin + 1 summation)) – plus millions of coordinate pairs that define the shapes of the enumeration units and centers of each graduated circle.

Yet, in less than 2 minutes, my students were beginning to make effective comparisons, identify trends, and recognize anomalies (and they loved the bubble control). The tool has a high content-to-ink ratio, is very easy to use, and (in my opinion) uses color very effectively. These attributes, I believe, are the hallmarks of a successful visualization tool. Kudos.

]]> By: Hadley http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/12/immigration-explorer-shows-largest-foreign-born-groups-since-1880/#comment-25028 Hadley Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:50:36 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1413#comment-25028 I love the visualisation, but I'd love it even more if they'd used the correct historical county boundaries. I love the visualisation, but I’d love it even more if they’d used the correct historical county boundaries.

]]> By: Nathan http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/12/immigration-explorer-shows-largest-foreign-born-groups-since-1880/#comment-25022 Nathan Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:50:07 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1413#comment-25022 @Steve - They use ArcGIS to build the maps and then read them into Flash/Actionscript. I'm not sure what AS libraries they use though. @Steve – They use ArcGIS to build the maps and then read them into Flash/Actionscript. I’m not sure what AS libraries they use though.

]]> By: Steve http://flowingdata.com/2009/03/12/immigration-explorer-shows-largest-foreign-born-groups-since-1880/#comment-25020 Steve Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:01:05 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1413#comment-25020 Very cool visualizations. I continue to be amazed by the quantity and quality of data visualizations produced by the folks at the NY Times. Any idea if the technology/libraries they're using to create these geographic visualizations is available, or if it's something proprietary that they've developed themselves? Very cool visualizations. I continue to be amazed by the quantity and quality of data visualizations produced by the folks at the NY Times. Any idea if the technology/libraries they’re using to create these geographic visualizations is available, or if it’s something proprietary that they’ve developed themselves?

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