Assignment 1
a) Line chart created with Datawrapper
This chart shows the number of operational nuclear reactors worldwide between 1954-2023. This chart had to visualizes a lot of data and for it to be as clear as possible I decided to make it interactive and add a few dots on the line. Since the chart is interactive, I decided to write in the subtitle that the reader could hoover over the line to see the different values. To make the chart more accessible I also chose to use a dark blue and a light background with lines. When it came to the maximum number of the y-axis, I decided to write 500 because I wanted the data to be included and seen within the graph. However, I couldn’t write the labels of the y-and x-axis which is why there is no label on the chart.
b) Column chart created with Datawrapper
This column chart shows the five countries in the world that has the most reactors. I used a dark blue color and a light background to make the visualization more accessible. In the title and the subtitle, I tried to be as clear and simple as I could and added instructions, since this chart is interactive, to make sure the reader knew how to use it. I couldn’t write the labels of the y-and x-axis in this tool and that it why there is no label, but I decided to increase the maximum number on the y-axis to 100 because I wanted the chart to contain all the information.
c)
Have you followed the checklist for visualizations (every step)?
Yes.
Colours: How easy or difficult is changing colours using the tool?
I think it was easy to change the colors with Datawrapper once you found where you could do it.
Text/Labels: How easy or difficult is it to work with text and labels in the tool?
This was easy for the most part. It was easy to work with the text, since it clearly stated what the fields asked for and what you should write. I think it was be a bit harder with the labels because it wasn’t clear were they wanted you to write them, if you could or how you could change them.
Flexibility: How flexible are the tools? Can you make the changes you need?
I could make the changes I wanted for the most part. The main issue I had though, was to write labels for the x-and y-axis. I couldn’t write anything on them, which I think is a major problem since it makes the graphs unclear and it makes me feel like what Iäve created isn’t that good. Datawrapper made the choice for me, which doesn’t make it that flexibile when it comes to this part. It was more flexbile with colour, text, labels and so on, but I feel like the y-and x-axis is very important.
Accessibility: What are the different accessibility options provided by the tools?
Datawrapper makes it possible to write an alternative text and an alternative title for people who can’t see the graph, which is good. Theser are the possibilites you have that are created for more accessability, but you can also work with colors and text in Datawrapper to make it more accessible.
Smartphone: How do the charts appear on your smartphone? Have you faced any issues while accessing them?
It worked well overall, I had no issues with seeing the graphs on my smartphone.
Assignment 2
a) Line chart created with Flourish
This chart shows the number of operational nuclear reactors worldwide between 1954-2023. I decided to use a dark blue color and a light background to make the chart more accessible. I wanted to have dots on a few parts of the line, but it was either on all the values or on none of them. If I had dots on the whole line, it became unclear in the smartphone. This made me decide to go with no dots. I tried to keep it simple with the labels, title and subtitle, but added that the reader could hoover over the line to get the specific values since the chart is interactive. I decided to write it in smaller text underneath the subtitle since I could do that with this tool and to make it prominent but not as prominent as the subtitle. When it came to the maximum number of the y-axis, I chose to write 500 because I wanted the data to be included and seen within the chart.
b) Column chart created with Flourish
This column chart shows the five countries in the world that has the most reactors. I used one color to visualize it and decided to use a dark blue and a light background color for increased accessibility. This also made me decide that the chart didn’t need a ledger, since all the countries had the same color. The aim with the labels, title and subtitle was to keep them as clear as possible, which is why the information is displayed with short sentences. This chart is interactive, and I decided to write the instructions under the subtitle to make sure the readers understood how to use the chart. The instructions are in the header, but the text is smaller since I could do that with this tool and because I wanted it to be prominent but not too prominent compared to the other elements of the chart. I also decided to increase the maximum number on the y-axis to 100 because I wanted the chart to contain all the information.
c)
Have you followed the checklist for visualizations (every step)?
Yes.
Colours: How easy or difficult is changing colours using the tool?
It was pretty easy to change the colours with this tool. Once you found the correct tab then you could go ahead and change it and you also had the questionsmarks to click on if you were confused.
Text/Labels: How easy or difficult is it to work with text and labels in the tool?
The text and the labels tabs were easy to find but I felt confused sometimes of what I was changing and doing since Flourish often has a lot of options. Labels was harder than text, but it felt a bit confusing at times.
Flexibility: How flexible are the tools? Can you make the changes you need?
I could do the important changes, but not like how I wanted all the time. One of my main issues with this tool was when I did the line chart. I could have dots on the line, but I only wanted to have dots on a few values, and that wasn’t possible since Flourish only offered dots on the whole line or no dots at all. This caused me to make a choice and to accept the fact that I couldn’t achieve what I wanted with that certain chart.
Accessibility: What are the different accessibility options provided by the tools?
This tool also offers alternative text and title that is made for increasing the accessibility. If you want to work even more with accessibility then you are also able to work with colours, text and contrast to make the charts more clear and accessible.
Smartphone: How do the charts appear on your smartphone? Have you faced any issues while accessing them?
I had no issues with accessing my charts in my smartphone and all the information appeared.
Assignment 3
In what context do you think Datawrapper is the best tool, and why? When would you not use it?
Datawrapper can probably be good for more easy tasks that doesn’t need much explaining within the graph, since you for example can’t write what the y-and x-axis means. Furthermore, I think it can be useful to make line charts and column charts, but for data that is simple to grasp. Another argument for this is the fact that the charts also looks good when you look at a smartphone. This also means that I would’nt use Datawrapper to create charts that tries to explain more complex stories or where I havel multiple sets of data where everything has to be very clear, since some of these things aren’t possible with this tool.
What are the main benefits of using Datawrapper?
The main benefits with Datawrapper is the fact that it is easy to understand and that the process is divided in different parts, which makes the steps easy to follow. You can also do the most important things with this tool like change colour, add text and make changes to make the chart more accessible while it also adapts smothly to different screens. To summarize, Datawrappers main benefits are that it is simple and an effective tool to use if you want to make charts.
In what context do you think Flourish is the best tool, and why? When would you not use it?
I feel like Flourish is made for more complex subjects and data that you want to visualise for any sort of device. Moreover, it could also be used for line charts and column charts as well, but in that case it probably is because you have to be very clear within your chart. I personally think I will use Flourish for more complex stories that need more explaining. I also see it as a good tool to use if I have more than one dataset that I need to visualise, since Flourish has a lot of possibilities and different charts that can be used for that. Althogh this tool has many possibilities, I think it might be a bit to much if you are going to do a more simple visualisation. If it were in that sort of context, then I’d probably try to use another tool instead.
What are the main benefits of using Flourish?
The main benefits with Flourish is the fact that you can choose and change almost everything if you use this tool and that it can adapt to smartphones and computers in a good way. It has many different possibilites for the same kind of data as well, like the fact that is has several different maps that you can use to visualise it in the most suitable way for you and what you are going to use it for. To summarize, I’d say that the benefits with Flourish is the fact that is has different options for the same type of data and that you also, when you’ve chosen a chart, can change and customize it in many ways.
Which of the tools do you personally prefer so far?
I think Datawrapper is easier to work with, but I personally prefer Flourish because I can add more information to the chart and especially write labels for the y-and x-axis.