More on the Power of Data Viz

Mona Chalabi’s instagram account (@monachalabi) is a perfect example of ethically and accurately using data visualization to share information. She uses her design skills to address controversial and important topics. 

In one of her more recent posts she spoke about how the source of her data had created a misleading chart.

The chart below, created by the World Health Organization, shows the range of typical COVID-19 recovery. The “Severe” bar, however, is proportionally smaller than the “Mild” bar. The “Severe” bar should be three times as large as the “Mild” bar—but in this graphic it’s only about two times the size. I believe that doing this lowers the impact regarding the difference between Mild and Severe recovery.

Figure taken from a report published by the World Health Organization.

Chalabi redesigns this chart to more accurately show this difference. It’s a small adjustment but it makes it easier to correctly interpret and understand.

Figure taken from Chalabi’s instagram account.