26 - The Web as Medium for Data Visualization

Summary

Abstract

Exploring the types of graphics made possible by the web, including interactive dataviz, games and virtual reality (VR).

Keywords: interactive graphics, data visualization, web development, JavaScript, infographics, newsgames

Not all media are created equal. A 20-episode television series is able to tell a story differently than a two-hour film, for example. In the same way, the humble web page can provide its own possibilities for data visualization.

The web was originally designed for simple, hyperlinked documents consisting of mostly text and static images. The addition of JavaScript and a slow drip of new features and tools has expanded the palette available to work with.

Although traditional data visualization theory and techniques (e.g., Edward Tufte, Jacques Bertin) are still mostly applicable to graphics on the web, the unique features of the web provide vast potential for new forms of data journalism. These works are often referred to as “interactives,” an awkward word that obscures some of the web's unique strengths.

Below is a list illustrating some of the ways in which graphics on the web can take advantage of their host medium.

Huge, Explorable Data Sets

A classic use of interactivity is to present the reader with a huge data set and allow them to “dive in” and explore in as much depth as they like. Sometimes this takes the shape of a giant table; other times, a big interactive map.

This format is often looked down upon nowadays, since it expects the reader to find the interesting bits themselves; but it can still be valuable if the data is juicy enough. I find that the most successful versions accept the fact they are simply tools (as opposed to being articles), such as the extremely popular Wall Street Journal College Rankings or ProPublica's public-service news apps.

Guide the Reader Through Complex Charts

A now-common format begins with a single chart and then proceeds to manipulate it—zooming in and out, travelling through time, switching out data—in order to fully explore the data set. This pairs exceptionally well with scrollytelling and is especially valuable on mobile, where there may not be enough space to show all elements of a chart at once.