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I have created an app that measures 7 Air pollution parameters (like dust, and car pollution, etc...) and combine the results in to the final pollution level: this is the app description and here is a link to the app.

Now on the new version, I want to show the parameters that determine the level of air pollution. it works like that, the highest value will set the level to low, medium, high or very high current design.

I have created this new design sketched wireframe with a radar map, any suggestions what other visualization will work better?

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My suggestion is about UX, rather than on UI and visualization.

Your job is to solve a problem, not make a picture. This is from the Three charts are all I need, as well as the following quote:

You can spend days, weeks, or even months working on visualizations of data, but does that benefit the business most? In most cases, a simple visualization will get the job done and free you up to solve the next most pressing problem that the business has.

Try to answer the questions: Do your users really need these parameters displayed? What's in it for users? Are these help to make some decisions?

Consider the fragment of the infographics:

enter image description here
They translate the values into the meaningful and valuable recommendations.

The great test of the usefulness is "So What?" from the Designing Data-Driven Interfaces:

So why do we put all this data on the page anyway? Answer: so people can do shit with it — make decisions, investigate, predict the future, whatever. The point is, your users aren't marveling at the pretty colors you've selected, they are trying to do their jobs.

So here’s my advice — after you've gotten your page laid out and everything is crafted just right, ask yourself “so what?”. Look at each graph, widget, chart, table, and ponder what someone will glean from it. Often times you'll come to the conclusion, “it doesn't matter”, which a red flag to reduce or rethink.

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As for visualizing the parameters, the most clear way is to use horizontal bars and the description of the parameters. Place these on separate screen for those, who really need to dive into the details.

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  • @EranBar I just think, you have better and more valuable content/functions to include into v2. Is the air condition really the problem in Israel?
    – Alexey Kolchenko
    Apr 24, 2016 at 13:03
  • Hi @Alexey I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. I think a radar map shows the same data, but it is less conventional, is that a reason enough in your opinion not to use it?
    – Eran Bar
    Apr 24, 2016 at 13:05
  • This is what the app does, measures air pollution, what would you include in version 2?
    – Eran Bar
    Apr 24, 2016 at 13:06
  • @EranBar a plenty. From more serious, like recommendations which mask to wear, or limiting outdoors activities, or so. To behavior changing staff, like stimulating to reduce air pollution by using bikes or public transport.
    – Alexey Kolchenko
    Apr 24, 2016 at 13:44
  • that's an interesting approach, regarding the recommendation we had that in the first version of the app, we wrote stuff like: "there is a low air pollution, good time to take the neighbour's dog for a walk" but we found that was TMI and overloaded the interface. "The trick isn't adding stuff, it's taking away"
    – Eran Bar
    Apr 24, 2016 at 14:17
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Agreed, adding more complicated charts may provide more information but may not necessarily make the app more useful. Here is a good example from Cole Nussbaumer's Storytelling with Data book. I made the interactive version using ZingChart, since that's the charting library I'm most familiar with.

http://demos.zingchart.com/view/embed/FUUTOL1M

Even though you're technically taking the chart away, you're making the key information easier to consume.

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