tl;dr Version
Is it a common mental model, that in a chart visualizing a time dimension, the time is advancing to the right?
Long VersionIs it a common mental model, that in a chart visualizing a time dimension, the time is advancing to the right?
I'm currently working with the Internation Business Communication Standards (IBCS). They are trying to establish a globally accepted standard for business commications, e.g. charts.
Their proposal for dimensions in charts is, that an axis displaying a time dimension is always horizontally oriented with the time advancing to the right (in contrast to axes displaying structural dimensions which are always vertically oriented):
3.3.3.1 Visual direction of time periods
In charts, horizontal axes visualize data series over time. In tables, data series over time are presented in columns. In both cases time moves from left to right.
http://www.ibcs-a.org/standards/109
© 2015 IBCS Association. Licensed under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 International.
To me this sounds quite naturallynatural. But I was wondering if this mental image of time advancing to the right holds true globally.
I could imagine, that in a culture writing from right to left (or from top to bottom) the natural interpretion of time flowing is different.
Are you aware of any cultures who think about time advancing differently?Are you aware of any cultures who think about time advancing differently?
