A sparkline is a very small line chart, typically drawn without axes or coordinates. It presents the general shape of a variation (typically over time) in some measurement, such as temperature or stock market price, in a simple and highly condensed way. Whereas a typical chart is designed to professionally show as much data as possible, and is set off from the flow of text, sparklines are intended to be succinct, memorable, and located where they are discussed. Sparklines are small enough to be embedded in text, or several sparklines may be grouped together as elements of a small multiple.
Illustration from the "Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman"
The 1888 monograph describing the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa shows barometric signatures of the event obtained at various stations around the world in the same fashion, but in separate plates (VII & VIII), not within the text.[2]
A 1999 screenshot of an implementation of sparklines developed around January 1998. The concept was developed by interaction designer Peter Zelchenko in conversation with programmer Michael Medved, while Medved was developing the QuoteTracker application. The product was later sold to Ameritrade.[3]
In 1983, Edward Tufte had formally documented a graphical style, then called "intense continuous time-series", encouraging extreme compaction of visual information.[4] In early 1998, interface designer Peter Zelchenko introduced a feature called "inline charts", designed for the PC trading platform Medved QuoteTracker. This is believed to be the earliest known implementation of sparklines.[5] In 2006, the term sparkline itself was introduced by Edward Tufte for "small, high resolution graphics embedded in a context of words, numbers, images".[6][7] Tufte described sparklines as "data-intense, design-simple, word-sized graphics".[8]
Subsequent to his origination the term "sparkline", in 2020 Tufte attributed the origination of "sparkline-like inline graphics" to Donald Knuth's "METAFONTbook". [9]
On May 7, 2008, Microsoft employees filed a patent application for the implementation of sparklines in Microsoft Excel 2010. The application was published on November 12, 2009,[10] prompting Tufte[11] to express concern at the broad claims and lack of novelty of the patent.[12] On 23 January, 2009, MultiRacio Ltd. published an OpenOffice.org extension "EuroOffice Sparkline" to insert sparklines in OpenOffice.org Calc.[13] On March 3, 2022, LibreOffice developer Tomaž Vajngerl announced a new implementation of sparkline for LibreOffice Calc, including the support to import sparklines from OOXML Workbook format, and this is landed at 7.4 release.[14]
Usageedit
Sparklines are frequently used in line with text. For example:
The sparkline should be about the same height as the text around it. Tufte offers some useful design principles for the sizing of sparklines to maximize their readability.[7]
^Laurence Sterne, Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Ann Ward (vol. 1–2), Dodsley (vol. 3–4), Becket & DeHondt (vol. 5–9), 1759-1767
^Symons, G. J., Judd, J. W., Strachey, S. R., Wharton, W. J. L., Evans, F. J., Russell, F. A. R., ... & Whipple, G. M. (1888). The eruption of Krakatoa: And subsequent phenomena. Trübner & Company. Plate VII
^Zelchenko, Peter; Medved, Michael. . Wayback Machine. Internet Archive. Archived from the original on 13 October 1999. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
^"Sparklines in the grid". 2009-11-12. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
^"Sparklines in Excel". 2009-07-17. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
^"Microsoft makes patent claim for Sparklines". 2009-11-19. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
^"EuroOffice Sparkline | OpenOffice.org repository for Extensions". from the original on 2009-01-26. Retrieved 2018-07-06.
^Vajngerl, Tomaž (2022-03-08). "Sparklines in Calc". Retrieved 2022-03-09.
Further readingedit
"History of Sparklines", essay by Edward Tufte, edwardtufte.com
"Sparkline in Google Sheets", blog.tryamigo.com
"Micro Visualisations", thesis by Jonas Parnow, microvis.info
"Everything you ever wanted to know about Sparklines in Google Sheets", benlcollins.com
January 01, 1970
sparkline, sparkline, very, small, line, chart, typically, drawn, without, axes, coordinates, presents, general, shape, variation, typically, over, time, some, measurement, such, temperature, stock, market, price, simple, highly, condensed, whereas, typical, c. A sparkline is a very small line chart typically drawn without axes or coordinates It presents the general shape of a variation typically over time in some measurement such as temperature or stock market price in a simple and highly condensed way Whereas a typical chart is designed to professionally show as much data as possible and is set off from the flow of text sparklines are intended to be succinct memorable and located where they are discussed Sparklines are small enough to be embedded in text or several sparklines may be grouped together as elements of a small multiple Example sparklines in small multiple Index Day Value Change Dow Jones 10765 45 32 82 0 30 S amp P 500 1256 92 8 10 0 64 Sparklines showing the movement of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S amp P 500 during February 7 2006 Contents 1 History 2 Usage 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editIn 1762 Laurence Sterne used typographical devices in his sixth volume of The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman to illustrate his narrative proceeding These were the four lines I moved through my first second third and fourth volumes 1 nbsp Illustration from the Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Gentleman The 1888 monograph describing the 1883 eruption of the Krakatoa shows barometric signatures of the event obtained at various stations around the world in the same fashion but in separate plates VII amp VIII not within the text 2 nbsp A 1999 screenshot of an implementation of sparklines developed around January 1998 The concept was developed by interaction designer Peter Zelchenko in conversation with programmer Michael Medved while Medved was developing the QuoteTracker application The product was later sold to Ameritrade 3 In 1983 Edward Tufte had formally documented a graphical style then called intense continuous time series encouraging extreme compaction of visual information 4 In early 1998 interface designer Peter Zelchenko introduced a feature called inline charts designed for the PC trading platform Medved QuoteTracker This is believed to be the earliest known implementation of sparklines 5 In 2006 the term sparkline itself was introduced by Edward Tufte for small high resolution graphics embedded in a context of words numbers images 6 7 Tufte described sparklines as data intense design simple word sized graphics 8 Subsequent to his origination the term sparkline in 2020 Tufte attributed the origination of sparkline like inline graphics to Donald Knuth s METAFONTbook 9 On May 7 2008 Microsoft employees filed a patent application for the implementation of sparklines in Microsoft Excel 2010 The application was published on November 12 2009 10 prompting Tufte 11 to express concern at the broad claims and lack of novelty of the patent 12 On 23 January 2009 MultiRacio Ltd published an OpenOffice org extension EuroOffice Sparkline to insert sparklines in OpenOffice org Calc 13 On March 3 2022 LibreOffice developer Tomaz Vajngerl announced a new implementation of sparkline for LibreOffice Calc including the support to import sparklines from OOXML Workbook format and this is landed at 7 4 release 14 Usage editSparklines are frequently used in line with text For example The Dow Jones Industrial Average for February 7 2006 nbsp The sparkline should be about the same height as the text around it Tufte offers some useful design principles for the sizing of sparklines to maximize their readability 7 See also editKagi chartReferences edit Laurence Sterne Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy Ann Ward vol 1 2 Dodsley vol 3 4 Becket amp DeHondt vol 5 9 1759 1767 Symons G J Judd J W Strachey S R Wharton W J L Evans F J Russell F A R amp Whipple G M 1888 The eruption of Krakatoa And subsequent phenomena Trubner amp Company Plate VII Zelchenko Peter Medved Michael Medved QuoteTracker screenshot Wayback Machine Internet Archive Archived from the original on 13 October 1999 Retrieved 1 December 2015 Tufte Edward 1983 The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Quoted in ET Work on Sparklines Retrieved from http www edwardtufte com bboard q and a fetch msg msg id 000AIr WaybackMachine snapshot from October 13 1999 see Screen Shots Archived from the original on 1999 11 27 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Bissantz amp Company GmbH Sparklines Another masterpiece of Edward Tufte Archived from the original on 2007 03 11 a b Edward Tufte November 2013 Sparkline theory and practice Edward Tufte forum Edward Tufte 2006 Beautiful Evidence Graphics Press ISBN 0 9613921 7 7 https twitter com EdwardTufte status 1509619247625949190 lang en accessdate 2024 04 17 Sparklines in the grid 2009 11 12 Retrieved 2009 11 19 Sparklines in Excel 2009 07 17 Retrieved 2009 11 20 Microsoft makes patent claim for Sparklines 2009 11 19 Retrieved 2009 11 19 EuroOffice Sparkline OpenOffice org repository for Extensions Archived from the original on 2009 01 26 Retrieved 2018 07 06 Vajngerl Tomaz 2022 03 08 Sparklines in Calc Retrieved 2022 03 09 Further reading edit History of Sparklines essay by Edward Tufte edwardtufte com Sparkline in Google Sheets blog tryamigo com Micro Visualisations thesis by Jonas Parnow microvis info Everything you ever wanted to know about Sparklines in Google Sheets benlcollins com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sparkline amp oldid 1219443498, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
