I’d love you to spend some time critiquing this infographic I found

http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2011/04/27/infographic-the-hard-knock-life-of-an-internet-troll/?view=socialstudies

Cheers,

Cathal

Section 3 is suspect in its representation of the data. How can 19% and 15% both be represented as the same and different. 19% has 2 figures (ok 1 per 10% so 19 = 2 I buy that) but 15% is listed with both 2 and 1 figure so that the number of people using the service to post praise appears higher than those using to post complaint, yet the number (as presented) appear to be the same. If you want to argue that praise if 15.6% and complaint is 15.4% so it is a rounding issue then at least round the numbers given to match the figures.

Section 5 can you tell by looking at the graphic, as opposed to studying the numbers in the circles, which age group has the highest percentage of usage and which has the smallest. Can you tell by looking at the graphic which how quickly usage trails off by age or even if it is flat. Infographics should provide information in a graphical form.

Section 6 presents a lot of numbers out of context. They do not measure the same thing, they are not in a consistent unit (not that they could be) , they do not depict how much the Irish numbers vary from some other population such as the international average, or US average or the average of other island nations.

Section 7 the data are presented as though the length of the line is significant. If so why and if not then why do “status updates” count for more than “messages” or “check ins”.

Section 8. Ok, but it would be nice to see the something that can be compared. Perhaps tweets per user or something like that for the 10 countries.

Section 9 data is not presented in a meaningful graphic. You can’t determine anything from the graphic, only by studying the text within the graphic does the data become apparent.

That leaves sections 4 and 10. So 20% of the infographic actually presents information in a readily accessible way. William Playfair (who invented the pie chart — the first infographic) would be ashamed and dismayed to see the field he created being so misused. Infographics should present data in a clear and readily understandable representation to allow the viewer to make reasonable comparisons of the variables under analysis. This “infographic” does not. Perhaps it should be labeled as a “misinfographic”

Luke