With the entrance in a new decade, we are going to start the year with significant BANG! 2020 is the year for an election that will change the course of the United States, Australia has had a fire that has potentially endangered several species of animals while burning most of the continent, and a potential virus that has caused alarm for the world as a whole. These events have inspired three of the five data visualizations that we at HowMuch.net wish we would have done with our community because they are too good not to share.
1. Sizing up Australia’s Bushfires (Reuters Graphics)
This design takes designing outside the box to a whole new level. When you view this visual, you can't help but keep scrolling down. This scrolling action provides the user with an understanding of how large the fires are in Australia in two fantastic ways. The first is by using the scale of each block as one square kilometer, or 0.386 square miles, and stakes them side by side. Each block is how much the fire has burned. These blocks take about 4-5 full page scroll downs. And the second great thing is that during the scroll, different shapes are placed in the areas to explain how big some well-known regions cover.
A few cities, like Washington DC, and countries, like Lebanon, include just small fractions of this data visualization. Another great feature this offers is the total s.q. km keeps adding up as you scroll down. Just WOW!! And if you are wondering if it works on the mobile phone, we encourage you to try it. This visualization drives home the point of how much damage these fires have caused. On a side note, our hearts and prayers go out to those affected by the wildfires in Australia.
2. Mapped: The Anatomy of Land Use in America (VisualCapitalist)
Have you ever wondered how much land is left in the United States? With development having, pretty much everywhere, this map will surprise you. This article and map display how the land in the United States is being used as a whole. It starts with a basic map that shows several different color spots throughout the United States. Then it stacks all those different color squares into groups. These groups are then labeled with the type of land. And surprisingly, Urban areas only cover 2% of the land in the United States.
When you scroll down the page, it separates the type of land — giving the user a clear picture of how each looks across the United States. What sets this visual apart is the subtle transformation from the colors spread out to organized by color. The data visualization gives the viewer a clear understanding based on the portion of the United States.
3. Who Will Win The 2020 Democratic Primary? (FiveThirtyEight)
This year is set up to be a big election for the United States. Of course, isn't it every year?! This data visualization or visuals are perfect for those who want to know the odds of who will be going up against the President of the United States this November.
This data visualization is incredible in providing live up to date results. It uses these results to give the user insight on the odds of who will win the nomination. Oh, did we mention the very cool caricature cartoons of the candidates? That only gives entertainment in the visual even if you are not into politics. This data visualization gives the user in-depth analytics by state and candidate. Oh, and again, this is up to date information!
4. Tracking Coronavirus in Real-Time (Johns Hopkins CSSE)
It is time to get a little bit more serious. In the past month, the world has been infected with a deadly virus that has no cure. It has, at the time of this article, infected over 9,700 people worldwide, with over 200 deaths. It is the coronavirus, and it has the world in fear. But who can remember where these cases are located? No need to worry, this data visual provides anyone in the world with the current location and impact the size of the coronavirus. This fantastic chart uses the map and colors to give the necessary insight anyone needs when trying to find out how far they are from the nearest virus outbreak.
The whole screen is in a darker gray, while the locations are deep red bubbles. The larger the bubble, the significant the problem. The use of the colors on this chart enforces the message of this map. Oh, I forgot to mention, the side panels give the exact numbers of deaths and those who have recovered. And on the left, you can see where the most cases have been reported worldwide. These guys did a great job of ensuring the world is in the know of the status of this potentially catastrophic virus. As before, our hearts and prayers go to those who have been affected by the illness.
5. The Truth About Weekend Working (Financial Times)
This insightful visual provides insight into how most United Kingdom adults spend their days, both as a weekend and weekday. This visual breaks up several daily activities and shows how each is performed throughout the hours of the day. Have you ever wondered if waiting to do your chores after work was regular? It is as healthy as doing them before you head to work. Who would have thought, unless you are one of those people who do their chores in the morning?
Some of the visuals have an explanation pointed out, so understanding insight is not hard to figure out. The color combination of this visual is fantastic. The light tan background allows the teal and orange to protrude in the visuals. How do your activities compare to those in the UK?
These five visuals are the top five HowMuch.net wish we had published. If you know of any that should be on the list that we might have missed, let us know in the comments. If you want to share what you liked about these visuals, let us know in the comments as well!