Small Multiples (are awesome)

To keep it short and sweet let's go with the definition:

"A small multiple (sometimes called trellis chart, lattice chart, grid chart, or panel chart) is a series of similar graphs or charts using the same scale and axes, allowing them to be easily compared. It uses multiple views to show different partitions of a dataset."

Read any serious visual communication guide and it will invariably highlight this powerful tool we have at our disposal when we have the data (we almost always have the data).

A pair of Small Multiples example quite pertinent to the current times followed by some other good ones:







This CNN.com graphic captures a running snapshot of the "new case/spread" curve trajectory of individual states



This clearly communicates how each state unemployment picture fared from 1976-2009



This SM visual shows population change over time by country (look at Mexico's growth since 1960)




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