This article describes how to go from a crosstab or summary of a variable set structured as a grid:
To a Palm Tree Chart, like this:
Requirements
You will need a table with at least two rows and two columns or a crosstab.
Method
- Go to Create > Charts > Visualization> Exotic > Palms.
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In the object inspector on the right, go to Inputs > DATA SOURCE > and select an existing table.
For a crosstab of two variables, the values in each column will be shown as leaves of the same color. If you need to swap rows and columns, go to Inputs > DATA MANIPULATION > Switch rows and columns in the object inspector on the right. The order of the trees can be changed interactively, but you may also want to control the default order of the trees and fronds. You can sort the table using options under ROW MANIPULATIONS or COLUMN MANIPULATIONS.
- If you don't have an existing table, you can click Paste or type data, which opens a spreadsheet object for you to directly enter tabular data for this chart. This is the easiest way to copy data from an Excel spreadsheet.
Additional controls for customizing the color and axes can be found in the Chart tab of the object inspector.
Interpretation
The length of each frond (leaf) refers to an individual score, while the stem length refers to the overall score.
Stem length - The stem length denotes the overall score based on the variables included in the visualization. To exclude a variable, click on the frond or the legend or turn it off in the legend. The stem lengths will automatically adjust to the new list of variables.
Frond length - The fronds are color-coded and positioned the same way for each palm tree, allowing for easy comparison. The lengths of the frond denote the scores for each variable.
Note: Hovering over a palm tree will show you the exact scores for each variable.
Acknowledgements
- Palm trees are programmed in R and d3 (HTMLwidgets).
- The original idea is from OECD Better Life Index.