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Essential Graphing > Bubble Plots
Publication date: 05/05/2023

Bubble Plots

View Patterns in Multidimensional Data Using Bubble Plots

A bubble plot is a scatterplot that represents its points as circles, or bubbles. Bubble plots can be dynamic (animated over time) or static (fixed bubbles that do not move). Use bubble plots to:

dynamically animate bubbles using a time variable, to see patterns and movement across time

use size and color to clearly distinguish between different variables

aggregate data (rows) into a single bubble, simplifying the bubble plot

Because you can see up to five dimensions at once (x position, y position, size, color, and time), bubble plots can produce dramatic visualizations and readily show patterns and trends.

Note: Dynamic bubble plots were pioneered by Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health, Karolinska Institutet, and the people involved in the Gapminder.org project.

Figure 5.1 Example of a Bubble Plot 

Example of a Bubble Plot

Contents

Example of a Dynamic Bubble Plot

Launch the Bubble Plot Platform

Specifying Two ID Variables
Specifying a Time Variable

Interact with the Bubble Plot

Control Animation for Dynamic Bubble Plots
Select Bubbles
Use the Brush Tool

Bubble Plot Platform Options

Change Variables in a Bubble Plot

Additional Examples of the Bubble Plot Platform

Example of a Time Variable and no ID Variable
Example of ID Variables and no Time Variable
Example of a Static Bubble Plot
Example of a Bubble Plot with a Categorical Y Variable
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