SUMit Roster Software > Nut's > September 2005 > Steps

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

Monday, 19^th September 2005

Steps

Hex	Red	Green	Blue
#E5AB4C	229	171	76
#E4AA4C	228	170	76
#E4A94B	228	169	75
#E3A84B	227	168	75
#E3A74A	227	167	74
#E2A64A	226	166	74
#E2A54A	226	165	74
#E1A449	225	164	73
#E1A349	225	163	73
#E0A249	224	162	73
#E0A148	224	161	72
#DFA048	223	160	72
#DF9F47	223	159	71
#DE9E47	222	158	71
#DE9D47	222	157	71
#DD9C46	221	156	70
#DD9B46	221	155	70
#DC9A45	220	154	69
#DB9945	219	153	69
#DB9845	219	152	69
#DA9744	218	151	68
#DA9644	218	150	68
#D99543	217	149	67
#D99443	217	148	67
#D89343	216	147	67
#D89242	216	146	66
#D79142	215	145	66
#D79042	215	144	66
#D68F41	214	143	65
#D68E41	214	142	65
#D58D40	213	141	64
#D58C40	213	140	64
#D48B40	212	139	64
#D48A3F	212	138	63
#D3893F	211	137	63
#D2883E	210	136	62
#D2873E	210	135	62
#D1863E	209	134	62
#D1853D	209	133	61
#D0843D	208	132	61
#D0833D	208	131	61
#CF823C	207	130	60
#CF813C	207	129	60
#CE803B	206	128	59
#CE7F3B	206	127	59
#CD7E3B	205	126	59
#CD7D3A	205	125	58
#CC7C3A	204	124	58
#CC7B39	204	123	57
#CB7A39	203	122	57
#CB7939	203	121	57
#CA7838	202	120	56
#C97738	201	119	56
#C97637	201	118	55
#C87537	200	117	55
#C87437	200	116	55
#C77336	199	115	54
#C77236	199	114	54
#C67136	198	113	54
#C67035	198	112	53
#C56F35	197	111	53
#C56E34	197	110	52
#C46D34	196	109	52
#C46C34	196	108	52
#C36B33	195	107	51
#C36A33	195	106	51
#C26932	194	105	50
#C26832	194	104	50
#C16732	193	103	50
#C06631	192	102	49
#C06531	192	101	49
#BF6431	191	100	49
#BF6330	191	99	48
#BE6230	190	98	48
#BE612F	190	97	47
#BD602F	189	96	47
#BD5F2F	189	95	47
#BC5E2E	188	94	46
#BC5D2E	188	93	46
#BB5C2D	187	92	45
#BB5B2D	187	91	45
#BA5A2D	186	90	45
#BA592C	186	89	44
#B9582C	185	88	44
#B9572B	185	87	43
#B8562B	184	86	43
#B8552B	184	85	43
#B7542A	183	84	42
#B6532A	182	83	42
#B6522A	182	82	42
#B55129	181	81	41
#B55029	181	80	41
#B44F28	180	79	40
#B44E28	180	78	40
#B34D28	179	77	40
#B34C27	179	76	39
#B24B27	178	75	39
#B24A26	178	74	38
#B14926	177	73	38
#B14826	177	72	38
#B04725	176	71	37
#B04625	176	70	37
#AF4525	175	69	37
#AF4424	175	68	36
#AE4324	174	67	36
#AD4223	173	66	35
#AD4123	173	65	35
#AC4023	172	64	35
#AC3F22	172	63	34
#AB3E22	171	62	34
#AB3D21	171	61	33
#AA3C21	170	60	33
#AA3B21	170	59	33
#A93A20	169	58	32
#A93920	169	57	32
#A8381F	168	56	31
#A8371F	168	55	31
#A7361F	167	54	31
#A7351E	167	53	30
#A6341E	166	52	30
#A6331E	166	51	30
#A5321D	165	50	29
#A4311D	164	49	29
#A4301C	164	48	28
#A32F1C	163	47	28
#A32E1C	163	46	28
#A22D1B	162	45	27
#A22C1B	162	44	27
#A12B1A	161	43	26
#A12A1A	161	42	26
#A0291A	160	41	26
#A02819	160	40	25
#9F2719	159	39	25
#9F2619	159	38	25
#9E2518	158	37	24
#9E2418	158	36	24
#9D2317	157	35	23
#9D2217	157	34	23
#9C2117	156	33	23
#9B2016	155	32	22
#9B1F16	155	31	22
#9A1E15	154	30	21
#9A1D15	154	29	21
#991C15	153	28	21
#991B14	153	27	20
#981A14	152	26	20
#981913	152	25	19
#971813	151	24	19
#971713	151	23	19
#961612	150	22	18
#961512	150	21	18
#951412	149	20	18
#951311	149	19	17
#941211	148	18	17
#941110	148	17	16
#931010	147	16	16

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.

It is a big surprise how much improvement is possible with simple line graphs.
Central goal: Minimal ink to show data and nothing else. It sounds simple, but it is a fierce battle to get rid of all chart junk. A graph is only complete when nothing can be left out.
MarketFound will map the supply of meat, with quantities per Spanish province.

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.

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.

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.

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