A Brief History of Data Visualization
A Brief History of Data Visualization Michael Friendly Psychology Department and Statistical Consulting Service York University 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, Canada M3J 1P3 in: Handbook of Computational Statistics: Data Visualization. See also BIBTEX entry below. BIBTEX: @InCollection{Friendly:06:hbook, author = {M. Friendly}, title = {A Brief History of Data Visualization}, year = {2006}, publisher = {Springer-Verlag}, address = {Heidelberg}, booktitle = {Handbook of Computational Statistics: Data Visualization}, volume = {III}, editor = {C. Chen and W. H\"ardle and A Unwin}, pages = {???--???}, note = {(In press)}, } © copyright by the author(s) document created on: March 21, 2006 created from file: hbook.tex cover page automatically created with CoverPage.sty (available at your favourite CTAN mirror) A brief history of data visualization Michael Friendly∗ March 21, 2006 Abstract It is common to think of statistical graphics and data visualization as relatively modern developments in statistics. In fact, the graphic representation of quantitative information has deep roots. These roots reach into the histories of the earliest map-making and visual depiction, and later into thematic cartography, statistics and statistical graphics, medicine, and other fields. Along the way, developments in technologies (printing, reproduction) mathematical theory and practice, and empirical observation and recording, enabled the wider use of graphics and new advances in form and content. This chapter provides an overview of the intellectual history of data visualization from medieval to modern times, describing and illustrating some significant advances along the way. It is based on a project, called the Milestones Project, to collect, catalog and document in one place the important developments in a wide range of areas and fields that led to mod- ern data visualization.
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