Google gets graphic over public data
Google has launched a tool to allow users to easily create graphs and charts based on public data. The idea is to make it possible to produce custom graphics using everything from unemployment figures to baby names.
The service, which is based around 13 publicly available information sources such as the World Bank and the U.S. Census Bureau, builds on a search tool which Google launched for such data in April last year.
Currently part of the Google Labs collection of experimental tools, the new service is known as Public Data Explorer. It not only allow users to create their own graphs and charts based on the specific information they want to track, but can do so dynamically. This means the graphs can be manipulated once set up and display changes without having to be recreated. The most common use of this is likely to be creating graphs which can be viewed as an animated timeline.
The firm says it prioritized particular types of data based on what relevant topics people are most commonly searching for on Google’s main search engine at the moment. The top five, in descending order, are school comparisons, unemployment, population, sales tax and salaries.
Writing on a company blog, Google statistician Jürgen Schwärzler said he was surprised to notice “first names” featured in the top 20. His theory is that this could be down to prospective parents looking for baby name ideas.
Once you’ve created a custom chart, you can get both a dedicated link (in the same way as with Google Maps) and code for embedding it on your own site. In both cases, you can set the chart so that it will be updated with any new data if people view it in the future.
In some ways, the service is reminiscent of Wolfram Alpha, a site which also bases itself around detailed data sources. The main difference is that Wolfram Alpha is set up with the aim of answering specific questions, including performing any relevant calculations. It can produce graphs, but with less customization.
Related Posts:
