Small bites, big results: how analyzing info in chunks can change everything

#31 Small multiples

Created using Freepik

In a nutshell, small multiples are a set consisting of the same chart. The charts share the same scale and are split by one or more dimensions. The biggest advantage is that they are economical — once you understand the design, you can quickly scan them for patterns (see Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Edward Tufte). Also, they simplify information by breaking it down into smaller, easier-to-digest chunks. Therefore small multiples should be a go-to chart if we want to present different dimensions.

The chart I picked for this week is an excellent example of how they can simplify the analysis. The original graph created by Eurostat shows the employment rate among men and women. This information-dense chart includes breakdowns by gender, education, having offspring, and type of employment. Everything is jumbled up and presented in a way that discourages analysis.

Chart recreated by the author. Source of the original infographic: Employment rate of women and men with and without children by educational attainment level and by working pattern, EU, 2021, Eurostat

Good data visualization solutions

Elements that work in this chart

✔ Using a stacked column chart