TY  - JOUR
A1  - Schöley, Jonas
A1  - Willekens, Frans
T1  - Visualizing compositional data on the Lexis surface
Y1  - 2017/02/17
JF  - Demographic Research
JO  - Demographic Research
SN  - 1435-9871
SP  - 627
EP  - 658
DO  - 10.4054/DemRes.2017.36.21
VL  - 36
IS  - 21
UR  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol36/21/
L1  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol36/21/36-21.pdf
L2  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol36/21/36-21.pdf
L3  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol36/21/files/readme.36-21.txt
L3  - https://www.demographic-research.org/volumes/vol36/21/files/demographic-research.36-21.zip
N2  - Background: The Lexis surface plot is an established visualization tool in demography. Its present
utility, however, is limited to the domain of one-dimensional magnitudes such as rates
and counts. Visualizing proportions among three or more groups on a period-age grid is
an unsolved problem. 

Objective: We seek to extend the Lexis surface plot to the domain of compositional data. 

Methods: We propose four techniques for visualizing group compositions on a period-age grid. To
demonstrate the techniques we use data on age-specific cause-of-death compositions in
France from 1925 to 1999. We compare the visualizations for compliance with multiple
desired criteria. 

Results: Compositional data can effectively be visualized on the Lexis surface. A key feature of
the classical Lexis surface plot – to show age, period, and cohort patterns – is retained
in the domain of compositions. The optimal choice among the four proposed techniques
depends primarily on the number of groups making up the composition and whether or
not the plot should be readable by people with impaired colour vision. 

Contribution: We introduce techniques for visualizing compositional data on a period-age grid to the
field of demography and demonstrate the usefulness of the techniques by performing
an exploratory analysis of age-specific French cause-of-death patterns across the 20th
century. We identify strengths and weaknesses of the four proposed techniques. We contribute a technique to construct the ternary-balance colour scheme from within a per-
ceptually uniform colour space. 

Comments: A full-colour representation is key to understanding the paper. Therefore, we recommend that you read it on screen or print a colour version. 

ER  -