Re: Tables with Graphical Representations

On 02-Sep-06 Anupam Tyagi wrote:
> First Graphic in the initial posting: I think this graphic need
> to be scaled in a manner so it can be interpreted correctly while
> going across rows, columns, and non-contguous cells, or the correct
> interpretation and way to read this provided. For example, in the
> last row one has to read the numbers to get the correct information
> out. It will be good to have documentation that explains how to
> read/interpret this graph, otherwise fixed length boxes are
> visually confusing. Anupam.

You are perhaps asking too much from this kind of graphic.

All graphical displays have both merits and limitations. The design
of the display (if it has been thought out) will be chosen so as to
exhibit what the writer wants the reader to see "immediately", along
with "deeper" detail which can be perceived by taking a longer and
closer look but without demanding too dispersed an attention which
can confuse and overload the reader.

In this particular case, one can very quickely see that some 4 cancers
(Prostate-Melanomas) have quite good survival rates over all 4 5-year
periods. For the next four (Breast-Urinary), though survival is good
for the first 5-year period, it can be seen that it is more variable
for subsequent periods. The next 8 (Cervix-Ovary) have a broadly
similar initial survival rate (50%-75%) with subsequent survival
very variable between different cancers. Then there is a somwhat
suddent jump to the final group of eight (Leukemia-Pancreas) where
initial survival (and therefore longer-term survival) is low.

I think the above summary is all that can be directly derived from