Home / Brinton, Willard C. Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts. New York: The Engineering Magazine Company, 1914. Internet Archive identifier: cu31924032626792 (Cornell University Library copy). The first American textbook on what we now call data visualization. / Passage

Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts

Brinton, Willard C. Graphic Methods for Presenting Facts. New York: The Engineering Magazine Company, 1914. Internet Archive identifier: cu31924032626792 (Cornell University Library copy). The first American textbook on what we now call data visualization. 250 words

All the figures for one railroad are shown in curves,* placed one above the other. Ordinarily curves like those in Fig. 62 will be nearly parallel, for the time interval required to complete each of the steps of work remains about the same day after day. What Fig. 62 brings out most of all is not so much the time interval between the different steps as the information as to whether each of the different steps was started promptly on schedule. Any one operation started late must delay all the following operations.

The paper on which Fig. 62 was drawn is in itself worthy of attention. This letter-sheet size of paper was carefully laid out so that a typewriter could be used for the lettering on the margins of the four sides of the sheet. The paper was purposely ruled in squares so that any of the common divisions of time might be shown. The possibilities in this direction are:

The days of the month may be used on the short edge of the paper as in Fig. 62.

Fifty-two weeks for one year can be shown by using the long edge of the paper.

Three years by months can be plotted by using the thirty-six squares on the short side of the paper.

One year by months can be shown by using every third line along the short edge of the paper.

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