It’s not something I would have thought of myself, but a German magazine recently tried it – and ever since, I’ve been wondering whether this is a clever idea or actually a very bad one. ChatGPT kindly translated the chart for me; the translation isn’t entirely accurate, but that’s not the point. What matters here is the visualization approach. In short, the data is about partnerships between the public sector and private investors.

A quick reminder: the purpose of data visualization is to make a subject easier to understand. Ideally, it also carries an intention – something that sharpens our perspective, changes our opinion, or even nudges us toward action. So, what does this visualization achieve?