5 ms·

Why does it resort and regrow all the blocks when you switch between years or other settings? If the same blocks simply grew or shrunk, it would be a lot easier

by skore 13y ago

Why does it resort and regrow all the blocks when you switch between years or other settings? If the same blocks simply grew or shrunk, it would be a lot easier to follow the difference. Actually, it sometimes simply converts blocks into others - switching between 2012 and 2013, the "Justice" block morphs into the "National Infrastructure Bank" block. Very confusing.

SIK 13y ago
this is because some blocks are added and removed from year to year. In this type of visualization, it's impossible to keep things the same size and position while also changing the amounts. The best way to use this isn't to switch between years. If you click on any cell, you can see a graph of how that changes over time. If you double click on any of the cells, you can see a new visualization of everything that makes up that cell. For example, double clicking on the department of justice will show you it is made up of X billion from the department of prisons and X billion from the FBI.
- lobo_tuerto 13y ago
  No I think what he meant is why the "Defense--Military Programs" is not the same rectangle (with changing size/pos) between budgets.
- hamburglar 13y ago
  It's definitely not because some blocks are added and removed. Click on the same year twice and the blocks animate all over the place. The animations are worse than useless -- they actually hinder the ability to compare two years.
wahsd 13y ago
I don't think that's all that wrong since you are moving from one budget to another, but what confuses me is that the animations are not consistent. Although they seem to be fixed to the specific display state it's inconsistent. But I do like the replacing effect of the transitions to not simply change the labels and numbers which is not easily noticed.
lobo_tuerto 13y ago
I agree with you, maybe this could help the author: http://bost.ocks.org/mike/constancy/ http://bost.ocks.org/mike/constancy/
- SIK 13y ago
  this is cool, will check it out tonight
larrydag 13y ago
maybe a Google Motion Chart like the Hans Rosling charts would be an interesting visualization to solve for that effect. https://developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery/motionchart https://developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery...
etrautmann 13y ago
I came here to say the same thing. Having one section morph into another is unnecessarily confusing, and mostly masks the entire point. Also, it would be nice to slice this data across time as well, by clicking on a particular box and viewing a plot below the main visualization.
- SIK 13y ago
  yes! this is how it already works! if you click a box, it will show you a graph of how that item has changed over time. If you double click, it will create a new treemap made up of the underlying data for that box.

by skore 13y ago

SIK 13y ago

this is because some blocks are added and removed from year to year. In this type of visualization, it's impossible to keep things the same size and position while also changing the amounts. The best way to use this isn't to switch between years. If you click on any cell, you can see a graph of how that changes over time. If you double click on any of the cells, you can see a new visualization of everything that makes up that cell. For example, double clicking on the department of justice will show you it is made up of X billion from the department of prisons and X billion from the FBI.

lobo_tuerto 13y ago
No I think what he meant is why the "Defense--Military Programs" is not the same rectangle (with changing size/pos) between budgets.
hamburglar 13y ago
It's definitely not because some blocks are added and removed. Click on the same year twice and the blocks animate all over the place. The animations are worse than useless -- they actually hinder the ability to compare two years.

wahsd 13y ago

I don't think that's all that wrong since you are moving from one budget to another, but what confuses me is that the animations are not consistent. Although they seem to be fixed to the specific display state it's inconsistent. But I do like the replacing effect of the transitions to not simply change the labels and numbers which is not easily noticed.

lobo_tuerto 13y ago

I agree with you, maybe this could help the author: http://bost.ocks.org/mike/constancy/ http://bost.ocks.org/mike/constancy/

SIK 13y ago
this is cool, will check it out tonight

larrydag 13y ago

maybe a Google Motion Chart like the Hans Rosling charts would be an interesting visualization to solve for that effect. https://developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery/motionchart https://developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery...

etrautmann 13y ago

I came here to say the same thing. Having one section morph into another is unnecessarily confusing, and mostly masks the entire point. Also, it would be nice to slice this data across time as well, by clicking on a particular box and viewing a plot below the main visualization.

SIK 13y ago
yes! this is how it already works! if you click a box, it will show you a graph of how that item has changed over time. If you double click, it will create a new treemap made up of the underlying data for that box.