The 12 Kinds of Data Visualization People
Twelve approaches to data visualization
The 2017 essay described seven affectionate types of visualization people. This version expands the cast to twelve. Choose a persona to see how their priorities change the data, chart and way of exploring it.
Original taxonomy fromThe 7 Kinds of Data Visualization People. This version expands the cast to twelve and uses new interface art in place of the original Susie Lu cartoons.
Spreadsheet maximalists
Excel Brute Forcers
If the chart menu refuses, make the cells conspire.
A flow diagram built from helper columns, named ranges, and a heroic disregard for the default chart picker.
Semiotic treats the contraption as first-class flow data: nodes, edges, values, labels, and hover all stay explicit.
SankeyDiagram
A different chart for each perspective
Compare the twelve approaches
The strip below compares the same five temperament measures for every persona. The main chart changes more freely, showing how each person might approach a visualization task.
How the selector changes the chart
import { CandlestickChart, FunnelChart, GroupedBarChart, LineChart, SankeyDiagram, Scatterplot, TreeDiagram, } from "semiotic" const chartFor = { excel: SankeyDiagram, tableau: GroupedBarChart, italians: CustomGlyphAtlas, media: LineChart, scientists: Scatterplot, industry: FunnelChart, freelancers: CustomIconGarden, procedural: Scatterplot, finance: CandlestickChart, devops: TerminalSankey, workshops: GroupedBarChart, dissectors: TreeDiagram, } // The selector changes data shape, chart type, palette, and explanatory copy. const persona = getPersona(activePersonaId) const Chart = chartFor[persona.id] <Chart {...chartPropsFor(persona)} />