Presented in my class on information visualisation on 30 March 2015.

1. A short history (and even shorter future)
of information visualisation
30 March 2015
Erik Duval
Dept. Computerwetenschappen, KULeuven
http://erikduval.wordpress.com & @ErikDuval
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2. Charles Joseph Minard, 1781-1870
Napoleon’s Russian Campaign
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Carte figurative des pertes
successives en hommes de l'Armée
Française dans la campagne de
Russie 1812-1813

3. See
also:
E. R. Tufte. Beautiful evidence. New York, 2006.
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4. William Playfair, 1759-1823
line graph, bar chart, pie chart
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The Commercial and Political Atlas;
Representing, by Means of Stained
Copper-Plate Charts, the Exports,
Imports, and GeneralTrade of England,
at a SingleView.To which are Added,
Charts of the Revenue and Debts of
Ireland, Done in the Same Manner by
James Correy. 1786
Statistical Breviary, 1801

5. bar chart:, 1786 neither space nor time
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Playfair#/media/File:Playfair_Barchart.gif

6. line/area chart based on time series, 1786
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7. pie chart, 1801
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Playfair#/media/File:Playfair-piechart.jpg

8. Florence Nightingale, 1820-1910
Polar Area Diagram, 1858
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Nightingale, F., Notes on Matters
Affecting the Health, Efficiency, and
Hospital Administration of the British
Army. Founded Chiefly on the
Experience of the LateWar. Presented
by Request to the Secretary of State
for War. Privately printed for Miss
Nightingale, Harrison and Sons,
1858.

9. 9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_Nightingale#/media/File:Nightingale-mortality.jpg
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi1712.htm

10. Florence Nightingale’s diagram showing the dramatic reduction in death
rates in the hospitals of Scutari following the changes she introduced
Source: Nightingale (1858)
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11. 11
http://www.datascope.be/sog/SOG-Chapter5.pdf

12. 12
http://fm.ea-tel.eu

13. 13
http://fm.ea-tel.eu

14. John Snow, 1813-1858
Cholera, 1854
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow_(physician)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/National_Chemical_Landmark%2C_Dr_John_Snow_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1073811.jpg

15. 15
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow_(physician)#/media/File:Snow-cholera-map-1.jpg

16. 16
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Snow_(physician)#/media/File:Snow-cholera-map-1.jpg

17. On proceeding to the spot, I found that nearly all
the deaths had taken place within a short
distance of the [Broad Street] pump.There were
only ten deaths in houses situated decidedly
nearer to another street-pump. In five of these
cases the families of the deceased persons
informed me that they always sent to the pump
in Broad Street, as they preferred the water to
that of the pumps which were nearer. In three
other cases, the deceased were children who
went to school near the pump in Broad Street...

18. I had an interview with the Board of Guardians
of St James's parish, on the evening of the 7th
inst [7 September], and represented the above
circumstances to them. In consequence of what I
said, the handle of the pump was removed on
the following day.

19. Harry Beck, 1903-1974
London Underground, 1933
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http://www.nndb.com/people/948/000113609/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Beck#/media/File:Beck_Plaque.jpg

20. London Underground Map by Harry Beck in 1933
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Beck20

21. http://homepage.ntlworld.com/clive.billson/tubemaps/1908.html
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22. K. Field and W. Cartwright AM.
Becksploitation:The over-use of a cartographic icon.
The Cartographic Journal, 51(4):343–359, 2014.
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23. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jamiethemapquinn/8966983573/
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24. 24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc1bq0qIKoA

25. ?
@ErikDuval
h6p://erikduval.wordpress.com
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