I love that data visualization fever has gripped the interwebs. A well-constructed graph or chart lets me instantly grasp an idea way faster than a textual explanation can, even if it’s really well written. A testament to the power of visual communication.
But as with any hyped trend, there’s the risk of oversupply — with data visualization, the main risk is an excess of shoddy or pointless infographics that actually hinder understanding. Like using Excel’s chart wizard without tweaking the god-awful presets.
And then there’s GraphJam (“pop culture for people in cubicles”). The site is a raging parody of data visualization’s current popularity — GraphJam treats inforgraphics as jokes. Here’s a typical example, complete with cute typo in the title:
I especially love that this graph actually made me look up the lyrics to the song. It would have been absolutely perfect if the label for the red line had read “Pink champagne on ice.”
What's a spaghetti test?
