Sparklines

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Sparklines
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Effective Data Display

• Noun accompanied by a number
• Put in the context, a single number gain meaning
• Adding scale of measurement

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Sparklines

• Small, high resolution graphics embedded in a
  full context of words
• Sparklines are datawords
• Data intensive, design-simple, word-size graphics
  
• Rationale Letterforms are finely detailed. Why
  not construct data graphics at the resolution of
  letters?

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Sparklines

• Read the same way as words. They present an
  overall shape and aggregate pattern along with
  plenty of detail
• Each sparkline tracks 250 days of price present
  both overall view and details

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Classic Examples

• We all know the meaning of ? , ?
• .
• .

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Financial and Economic Applications
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Compared with tables

• Tables have maximum densities of 300 characters
  per square inch
• The eye can differentiate a resolution of 60,000
  per square inch

Capable of displaying 400,000 additional data
per 5-column financial page
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Medical Applications
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The whole season in one line!!
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Not just a team!!!
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Bumps Chart
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Aspect Ratio

• Same data
• Best is the average slopes averaging 45 degree
• Use the maximum reasonable vertical space, and
  then adjust the horizontal length

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Production

• The current-day computer approach contradicts the
  spirit of sparklines, a spirit making no
  distinction among words, numbers, graphics, and
  images.

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Optical Clutter

• Closely spaced lines produce moire vibration
• Changing the relative weight of data lines and
  muting the contrast between data and background
  help
• Color (dot combination) can cause problem a
  single color or at most 2 is better
• Avoid frames

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Optical Clutter
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Resolution

• gt 1200 dpi (paper, film, metal, not computer ?)
• A density of 500 sparklines on A3 paper (11x17
  in)
• Equivalent to 300 power point slides or 14 large
  computer screen
• Arrange like sentences and paragraphs