Homework 1: How 3D graphic misleads audience

Case study: The marketshare of smartphones in the United States

by Lee Yee Man

For this 3D graphic, the yellow surface looks bigger than the blue surface. However, if we look at the data, the percentage of blue surface is greater than that of yellow surface.

For this 2D graphic, the exaggeration on yellow surface created by 3D graphic disappears. We can find that now the blue surface looks bigger than the yellow surface.

Observation

• People can use the illusion created by 3D image to exaggerate image.
• It is important to compare the numbers directly.

Reference