Form AND Function In A Visualization

The byline of this blog is "Form vs. Function in Technical Communication". When I recently came across an example where the form supported well the function of the message, I thought I'd share it here.

Tom Gonzalez maintains Form-Function, a blog about communication using data visualizations. The subject of a visualization that I found interesting is the national trade deficit, specifically from 1998 to 2008. Go here to see and operate the visualization for a month-by-month depiction of the deficits and surpluses the US racks up with its major trading partners. Gonzalez describes the work on his blog and gives his own opinion of the outcome:

As a result I think the data visualization still works for the main trends. You can see annual trade surplus/deficit information for each of the top 10 countries for each (surplus/deficit.) The countries that are in surplus (adding cash to the US Economy) are along the top, while the countries along the bottom show the corresponding trade deficits (that are taking cash out of the US Economy.) It is pretty obvious that overall the US has far more deficit than surplus trade, and by a huge margin, and that in later years the US deficit with China is pretty large.

I think this viusalzation strikes effecive balance between form and function. There are sufficient visual elements and details to tell the story and make me "get it", but there are no extra frills to get in the way. I hope Gonzalez will update the work over time. His blog is worth your review.

Questions:

I am wondering about the bottom center of the visualization - it seems a bit busy. How would you handle the label "United States"?

Do you think Visio might have presented some constraints for the work?

Overall, did you get the same impression as I on this piece?

Leave a comment one way or the other.