Ranking

Our examples so far have focused on comparing measures that occur along a time continuum. Table calculations are useful for a comparison between different dimensions as well. Ranking by discrete numbers, as well as percentiles, is powerful. Many people want to know the top or bottom number of members in a dimension. In the next example, the final product shows the bottom 20 percent of the countries in each region according to their availability of improved water sources, and each country will be colored by its percentile of life expectancy.

Start off by creating a basic bar graph from the World Development Indicators data source that shows the maximum percentage of a country's population that has access to improved water sources. Drag Region and Country to the Rows shelf. Then, when we drag Improved Water Source (%) to the Columns shelf, we aggregate it as a maximum rather than a sum. Select MAX based on the assumption that unless there's a major natural disaster (such as floods and...