Examining How We Measure Our Lives

Commentary, critiques, and observations on information design and data visualisation

This Is Not My Populous State

Jun 3, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic, Interactive Applications

With the release of the 2020 US Census’ topline data, we can see which state populations increased and which few decreased. And in that we can sort, or resort, states by population. The Washington Post did this a few weeks ago with an interactive ranking chart in a nice online article. (I’d be curious what […]
Read on…: This Is Not My Populous State
The Times Wore It Better

Jun 2, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Two weeks ago I posted about the death toll in the latest conflict between Israel and Hamas. As it happened, later that morning when I opened the door, there was this graphic sitting above the fold on the front page of the New York Times. The piece sits prominently on the front page, but tones […]
Read on…: The Times Wore It Better
Covid Update: 31 May

Jun 1, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in COVID-19, Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

Last week I wrote about how new cases had maybe flattened a wee bit in their rapid drop from peaks earlier this year. But the good news is that even in where new cases declines may have slowed down, they continue to decline. We can see the tails at the right ends are all back […]
Read on…: Covid Update: 31 May
Boldly Going…

May 28, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Those of my readers who know me well know that I’ve long been a fan of Star Trek. And so we’ve made it to the weekend. And over at Indexed earlier this month, well, we have a great science fiction comparison. Here in the states we have a bank holiday Monday, so Star Trek is […]
Read on…: Boldly Going…
Hamas’ Rocket Swarms

May 27, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Last week I wrote about the deaths in Gaza and Israel, where a ceasefire is holding at the time of writing. But I also included a graphic about the size of Hamas’ rocket arsenal. In a social media post I commented about how it appeared Hamas had also changed its tactics given Israel’s Iron Dome […]
Read on…: Hamas’ Rocket Swarms
On a Line. Or Not.

May 26, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Two weeks ago I was reading an article in the BBC that fact checked some of President Biden’s claims about the economy. Now I noted the other day in a post about axis lines and their use in graphics. Axis lines help ground the user in making comparisons between bars, lines, or whatever, and the […]
Read on…: On a Line. Or Not.
I’ve Got the Subtlest of Blues

May 25, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

As I prepared to reconnect and rejoin the world, I spent most of the weekend prior to full vaccination cleaning and clearing out my flat of things from the past 14 months. One thing I meant to do more with was printed pieces I saw in the New York Times. Interesting pages, front pages in […]
Read on…: I’ve Got the Subtlest of Blues
Covid Update: 23 May

May 24, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in COVID-19, Datagraphic, Infographic, My Work

Last week I wrote about how we were seeing new cases continuing to rapidly decline. This week we can say cases are still declining, but perhaps a bit less rapidly than earlier. The charts above show that slowdown in the tail at the right of the chart. First some points to note, Delaware reported that […]
Read on…: Covid Update: 23 May
The Month That Lasted a Year

May 21, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

Two Fridays ago I received my second dose of the vaccine. In other words, I’m fully vaccinated and can resume doing…things. Anything. And so this piece from xkcd seemed an appropriate way to wrap up what has been a horrible, no good, terrible year. Credit for the piece goes to Randall Munroe.
Read on…: The Month That Lasted a Year
It’s Warming Up

May 20, 2021

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by

Brendan Barry

in Datagraphic, Infographic

As many of my readers know, I prefer my weather cooler and summer is probably my least favourite season—weather wise at least. Appropriately, my vaccination will be kicking in just in time for a small, early season heatwave. Felt like an appropriate time to share this piece from Brian Brettschenider. It’s just an animated map […]
Read on…: It’s Warming Up