Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 3. How Much and How Many
“Numerical quantities focus on expected values, graphical summaries on unexpected values.”
—John Tukey
Communicating data is sharing comparisons, and comparisons are examinations of relative
amounts. We make comparisons all day long, without consciously deciding to do so. We love
to explore how things are similar or how they are different. Whether we discover something
unexpected or confirm a long-held belief, we walk away with a satisfying feeling of know-
ing.
But we can be highly skeptical of comparisons that others communicate to us. “Our product
is better than our competitor's.” “The economy has gotten worse since my opponent took of-
fice.” We're exposed to comparisons such as these constantly, so it's natural for us to be wary
of them. Some comparisons are definitely odious.
What does this mean when it comes to communicating data? The onus is on the communicat-
or to convey the message accurately and effectively, in order to earn the trust and attention of
the target audience. It starts with understanding the nature of the comparison to be made.
Comparisons can include multiple layers, but at their core they always reduce to either how
much or how many .
How much involves noncountable nouns like revenue or measurements:
▪ “How much money did we earn this past quarter?”
▪ “How much carbon dioxide is in the atmosphere?”
How many involves countable nouns like people or distinct events:
▪ “How many customers do we have?”
▪ “How many goals did players score this season?”
Often, these two types of comparisons are visualized using the same chart types, but the way
they are created in Tableau can differ depending on how your data is arranged (more on that
soon).
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