Stanford CS448B 01 Purpose
TLDR
This article contains my notes from Stanford's CS448B (Data Visualization) course, specifically focusing on the first lecture about the purpose of data visualization. I'll share several historical examples that demonstrate the power and importance of visualization in understanding data, including famous cases like Anscombe's quartet, John Snow's cholera map, and Minard's visualization of Napoleon's Russian campaign. These examples illustrate how visualization can reveal patterns, solve mysteries, and communicate complex information effectively.
Original
Notes
In my understanding, key historical events in a subject are more impactful than theories. For example, in China, there is the story of Tian Ji's horse racing. If you simply describe the tactics used in Tian Ji's horse racing, it actually results in a higher cost of understanding.
Therefore, here I mainly document the anecdotes mentioned in the PPT and their corresponding representative meanings.
1. Anscombe's quartet
The importance of visualization (in data analysis).
2. Animal Locomotion
When a horse is running, is there a moment when all four hooves are off the ground simultaneously?
3. John Snow's Cholera Map
4. Crimean War Deaths
5. Minard’s graphic of Napoleon in Russia
