June 17, 2005, 1:09 pm
A Sideways Pyramid
By d/D
With the release of the new “Food Pyramid” the United States Department of Agriculture presents a case study of how not to develop a visual explanation. By attempting to fit a new data scheme into a existing concept, they’ve created an explanation that is metaphorically and visually incoherent. Without a concept of hierarchy, the pyramid becomes just an oddly-shaped area chart; readers must compare the sizes of skinny triangles to determine the department’s recommendations:
http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html
The thinking behind the new pyramid is explained in an animated tour:
http://www.mypyramid.gov/global_nav/media_animation.html
