STOC (Stock Ticker Orbital Comparison) data visualization

STOC (Stock Ticker Orbital Comparison) is an interactive data visualization, using the metaphor of a planetary system, which maps parameters of stocks in the S&P500 to animated visual outputs. World Premiere at the SIGGRAPH 2009 Information Aesthetics Showcase in New Orleans, LA. Credit to Adam Fielding’s “Traveling Light” for the demo video music, licensed CC-NC-BY. DOWNLOAD STOC at www.uniformchaos.org University of Advancing Technology James Grant Todd Spencer 1. Introduction Existing methods for displaying large amounts of stock market data do not easily allow comparison between companies, as the data is often presented in tabular format. Some solutions implement a price-over-time graph, with the option of layering on additional stocks or market indices for comparison. STOC, however, seeks to allow immediate comparison of hundreds or thousands of stocks, by mapping various stock-specific parameters to easily observable visual outputs. This visualization is particularly suited for comparisons between items, as one is able to immediately identify the largest, or reddest, or quickest item in the group. 2. Data Mapping The program uses mapping functions to adjust the raw data within ranges usable for visualization purposes. The data is mapped between inputs and outputs as follows: – volume of trading = planet orbital distance – comparison to S&P 500 = planet speed – percent change from prior close = planet color – market capitalization = planet size – P/E ratio = planet …