In the recent Jan/Feb/Mar 2013 edition of the Visual Business Intelligence Newsletter, I introduced an extension of Tufte’s sparklines called bandlines. In less than two weeks since their introduction, without any prior knowledge of them, the software company XL Cubed has incorporated bandlines into their product. Here’s a screen shot of an example: XL Cubed […]

We’re all familiar with Edmund Burke’s well-known line “Those that don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” Burke’s insight applies in spades to the history of data visualization and its practitioners. Each new wave of practitioners insists on rushing in and claiming the laurels of expertise without first studying the lessons and mistakes of […]

I have finally created my own version of the Student Performance Dashboard that contestants in the 2012 Perceptual Edge Dashboard Design competition were asked to create. I don’t feel that I should judge the efforts of others unless I’m willing to submit my own work for scrutiny as well. This version along with those created […]

In 1986 Carlo Petrini founded the Slow Food Movement. This movement began as resistance to the opening of a McDonald’s fast food restaurant near the Spanish Steps in Rome. I’ve seen this affront to the old city and felt the disgust that must have emboldened Petrini to start an international movement. Slow Food was introduced […]