Jon Schwabish over at PolicyViz has created great initiative called the One Chart at a Time Video Series. It’s an effort to expand readers’ graphic literacy through short videos explaining how to read and use different charts. Each video is from a different person in the data visualization industry. Participants include people I admire such as Andy Kirk, Ben Jones, and Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. Jon releases a new video each weekday. The initiative started January 11 and will continue through mid-March.
In each video, the presenter answers 3 questions:
- Can you please describe the graph?
- Can you please describe any considerations chart makers need to take into account when creating this type of chart?
- Can you please share an example of this chart you really like?
I was honored to be asked to participate and talk about waterfall charts. My video (episode 13) has been published! You can check it out below, but I highly recommend you check out all the previous episodes and stay tuned for future episodes.
Links to examples
My video contains a few examples of waterfall charts, and I want to make sure to give credit to these designers for their work here, in addition to noting them in my video.
- Effective Use of Waterfall Charts from the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center
- How to Choose the Right Business Chart by Zebra BI
- Amy Cesal’s Day Doh Viz
- Sarah Kay Miller’s The Long and Winding Path to College Graduation
I hope you watch and enjoy the One Chart at a Time Video Series.