Last Saturday, 17th September, my cousin Esther Anspach
left Amsterdam Airport on her way to climb Mount Everest.

See the itinerary at www.de-ice.nl.

Monday, 19th September 2005

Steps

Start colour End colour
Colour Hex Red Green Blue
 #E5AB4C22917176
 #E4AA4C22817076
 #E4A94B22816975
 #E3A84B22716875
 #E3A74A22716774
 #E2A64A22616674
 #E2A54A22616574
 #E1A44922516473
 #E1A34922516373
 #E0A24922416273
 #E0A14822416172
 #DFA04822316072
 #DF9F4722315971
 #DE9E4722215871
 #DE9D4722215771
 #DD9C4622115670
 #DD9B4622115570
 #DC9A4522015469
 #DB994521915369
 #DB984521915269
 #DA974421815168
 #DA964421815068
 #D9954321714967
 #D9944321714867
 #D8934321614767
 #D8924221614666
 #D7914221514566
 #D7904221514466
 #D68F4121414365
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 #D58D4021314164
 #D58C4021314064
 #D48B4021213964
 #D48A3F21213863
 #D3893F21113763
 #D2883E21013662
 #D2873E21013562
 #D1863E20913462
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 #CF823C20713060
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 #CE803B20612859
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 #CA783820212056
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 #9718131512419
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 #9616121502218
 #9615121502118
 #9514121492018
 #9513111491917
 #9412111481817
 #9411101481716
 #9310101471616
The book The Visual Display of Quantitative Information had a big impact in SUMit headquarters, especially for the current project: MarketFound.

The MarketFound web site is in development here. It will be an advanced web site for meat trade in Spain, with quite a few graphs in a minimal space. The graphic theory of Edward R. Tufte heavily influenced all those graphs.

This map is tricky to design.

Idea 1: Circles

My first idea was to show small circles, just like the route planning application for a Dutch customer.

This idea is not too bad.

Route planning problem

Idea 2: Coloured squares

Mapped to Spain it looks like a mosaic of squares. Disadvantage: With lots of suppliers at the same location the squares overlap and give a distorted image of the supply.
Spain

Idee 3: Coloured provinces

Tufte recommends a coloured map for a similar overview.

It is more tricky to program, but

  • Aphité.nl supplies a data set with the exact province borders.
  • Sara Borremans performs magic yet again, by finding matching colours.
The darker a province, the more supply.
Spain

Development

I love this type of puzzles. The good thing is that the solution is never known in advance. Not only the path is unknown, the whole goal is unknown. One idea progresses into the next, one step ahead each time. The the exact path to the top level is always full of surprises.

So, designing is similar to mountain climbing. Step by step towards the goal, enjoying all shades of colours on your way.

Sorry cousin, there is no way I can map you Tibet. I did see the highest mountains, only from afar, from the Nepal side, but:

Go for the top Esther, the whole of SUMit supports you!

Till next nut,
Nut