Comments on: Investment Growth Chart

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:17:47 +0000

And what if you hate snow? You wouldn’t think associate snow with something good, would you? I don’t mind the snow too much, except when I have to clear my driveway. But at those times, it is my archenemy.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:47:33 +0000

Robert, thanks for the comment. You got me thinking about the boring aspect. I would venture to say that in the corporate world 80% effective and 20% flashy or 90-10 would be a guess as to the average visualization. In regards to magazines, I would expect that ratio to be more like 50-50 because they need to capture attention.

So the audience does play an important role in design. Graphic designers for magazines probably wouldn’t touch my version with a ten foot pole. Conversely, an executive would probably welcome my approach much more than the goofy chart USAA created.

In terms of the metaphor in general, what if you have never seen snow? What if you live in the deep south and don’t understand the way a small snowball can grow into a massive snowman. I get the metaphor, but also think it’s pretty silly.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:38:11 +0000

I’m not sure exactly what the metaphor means to you. I understand the metaphor of the snowball growing exponentially when you roll it. Doesn’t have to be downhill, just around the yard would work.

I also get that the snowball effect can mean things getting out of control in a bad way.

By: Robert Kosara

Robert Kosara — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:13:46 +0000

Your chart shows the exponential growth of compounding interest better, but it’s also boring. So I don’t think the line chart is really an improvement, because while it improves one aspect, it’s worse in another. Perhaps the lines could be superimposed on the snowball chart (with much reduced contrast). There must be a way to balance a metaphor with information that works in both directions.

I also don’t think Jon’s snowball metaphor explanation quite captures how people normally use it.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:46:33 +0000

They were sticking with their “snowball” metaphor.

To me, the snowball metaphor means something else. First, the snowball is growing as it rolls DOWN a hill. Second, I picture something going out of control, and not in a good way.

Maybe that’s just a strange personal interpretation?