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I think it's an amusing display of a bunch of different visualization methods. It's fun to browse. No need to take it more seriously than it takes itself. Fro

I think it's an amusing display of a bunch of different visualization methods. It's fun to browse. No need to take it more seriously than it takes itself. From their white paper conclusion: --- Our efforts in structuring the vast domain of visualization methods cannot be seen as a close adaptation of the periodic table of chemical elements. It is rather a functional, metaphoric homage to it. The choice of methods included as well as the order criteria cannot be considered exhaustive. Nevertheless, it does provide an overview over more than hundred useful visualization methods of great variety and by organizing them assists researchers and practitioners alike in choosing adequate visualization methods for their needs. On demand the user is provided with further useful information through signs. We encourage the reader to playfully explore the different properties of the visualization methods presented. So he may consider more than one method for his next visualization requirement and to use them in a combined, complementary manner. This may not turn lead into gold, but turn complex issues into accessible explanations. --- I do accept that a not insignificant segment of HN users would much prefer a man-page-like display, all-text, no graphics, no css, no javascript-- even for a page about visualizations! "Concept" and "Information" should have more distinguishable colors though.

dahart 3y ago
> I do accept that a not insignificant segment of HN users would much prefer a man-page-like display, all-text, no graphics, no css, no javascript-- even for a page about visualizations! I like your glass-half-full positive take, but I’m not sure this is accurate; most posts on anything graphical that link to a github page have lots and lots of complaints about the lack of screenshots or examples. People overwhelmingly like pictures, especially on pages about viz, and parent wasn’t at all suggesting or implying not to use a picture, but maybe implicitly to use a better & more relevant picture. The question here is whether the periodic table metaphor offers anything of value to a collection of viz examples, or if it actually confuses the viewer by suggesting or implying some kind of meaning or organization when there is none. There’s not a small amount of irony in using a bad metaphor for visualizing something in an article that is specifically discussing how to use good metaphors for visualization, right?

dahart 3y ago

> I do accept that a not insignificant segment of HN users would much prefer a man-page-like display, all-text, no graphics, no css, no javascript-- even for a page about visualizations! I like your glass-half-full positive take, but I’m not sure this is accurate; most posts on anything graphical that link to a github page have lots and lots of complaints about the lack of screenshots or examples. People overwhelmingly like pictures, especially on pages about viz, and parent wasn’t at all suggesting or implying not to use a picture, but maybe implicitly to use a better & more relevant picture. The question here is whether the periodic table metaphor offers anything of value to a collection of viz examples, or if it actually confuses the viewer by suggesting or implying some kind of meaning or organization when there is none. There’s not a small amount of irony in using a bad metaphor for visualizing something in an article that is specifically discussing how to use good metaphors for visualization, right?