Seminar on Dynamic Graphics forpresenting Statistical Indicators

5-6 March 2007, Rome

Eurostat approach to graphical

representation of statistical data

by

Gunter Schäfer

Basic considerations 1. Improving high quality access to statistics for all main user groups by means

of a variety of products

2. Enriching the Website with user oriented interfaces for directly accessing and displaying the databases in attractive dynamic graphical formats.

3. User interfaces which start with a meaningful default graphical view.

4. Easy interactive customization by the user (WYSIWYG).

5. Customizations that can be saved (integration into user documents), bookmarked (one-click instant updates) or shared (e-mail).

6. Static tables, graphs and maps in publications, will include direct hyperlinks to their dynamic counterparts (i.e. user interfaces).

Types of interfaces1. Profiles: interactive graphical one page overview of latest data from key

indicators per subject area and country

2. Table-Graph-Map interface: highly interactive interface for displaying predefined datasets in various customizable graphical formats.

3. Table builder: display and download of (complex) open datasets based on a customizable, dynamic, interactive, multi-dimensional table view.

• Hierarchical ordering between and within the interfaces: from simple to advanced

• The development, deployment and fine-tuning of these interfaces is progressing in incremental steps over the period 2007-2008.

Table-Graph-Map interface Highly interactive interface for displaying Eurostat predefined datasets (around

1400) in various customizable graphical formats (graphs, maps)

• Predefined datasets are accessible through Navigation Trees: • Tree entry: http://ept.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page?_pageid=2673,59423449&_dad=

portal&_schema=PORTAL&screen=welcomeref&open=/&product=EU_strind&depth=2 • Table entry: http://ept.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/table.do?

tab=table&language=en&pcode=eb012&plugin=1&tableSelection=1&footnotes=yes&labeling=labels

• Also working on detailed regional tables (e.g. on population): http://ept.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/tgm/mapCreation.do?tab=map&toolbox=legend&language=en&pcode=faa10000&plugin=1&timeScale=1&mapType=choropleth&compare=noValue&axisXScale=null&axisYScale=1&numberClasses=5&colourShading=Group1&method=equalInterval&selectedLayers=nuts0-40mcntry,nuts1-40m,nuts2-40m,nuts3-40m,eulakes&pieColors=black

• Static slides in case TGM interface is not accessible

Planning TGM interface• February 2007: first beta version

• March 2007: final beta version

• Incremental phase-in

April: “Try this” link on Home Page

May: integration into Navigation Tree and replacing current static table view.

• Autumn 2007: upgrade, based on user experience and improvements that emerged during the development of the beta-version.

Profile interfaces Interactive graphical one page crosscutting overview of latest data from key

indicators per subject area and country, both for the general user as well for better subject informed users

• Country and Regional profiles (for general users) http://ept.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/guip/introAction.do?profile=cpro&theme=eurind&lang=en

Static slides in case the Profile interface can not be accessed

Planning: phasing-in first version in April-May 2007

• Performance profiles (for subject informed users) for example the Business Cycle Tracer (idea from CBS) for the

PEEIs Planning: 2007-2008

Table builder Display and download of (complex) open datasets based on a customizable,

dynamic, interactive and multi-dimensional table view.

• First version (basic functions for unregistered users) Static slides in case version 1 can not be accessed

• Second version (basic functions for all users) a. Inclusion of the Navigation Tree and the Search b. Personalization of the interface

• Third version a. Inclusion of map and graph module à la TGM-interface b. Multi-table processing; defining own variables and dimensions; formula’s; direct Excel updates, etc.

Planning Table builder

• First version: Mid of 2007

• Second version: Second half of 2007

• Third version: 2007-2008

Conclusions

• Interactive interfaces for personalizing graph/maps aiming to make statistics

1. More attractive

2. More understandable

3. More useful for individual purposes

Thank you for your attention!

Any questions or comments?