Photo of 3D printed tactile UpSet Plot
3D printed tactile model of the UpSet Plot
Sighted version of the tactile UpSet Plot
Sighted version of the tactile UpSet Plot

UpSet Plot Tactile Chart Exploration Instructions

Follow these instructions to explore the tactile model of a UpSet Plot.

Step 1: Orienting the Chart

  • Locate the cut corner at the top-right of the board.
    • Position the chart so this corner remains at the top-right.
  • On the back, there are two stickers:
    • A smaller square label near the cut corner contains a QR code. Scanning it with your phone will take you to a companion website.
    • A larger rectangular label provides a labeled version of the chart.

Step 2: Introduction to the UpSet Plot

  • This tactile model represents an UpSet plot, which visualizes how different sets intersect.
    • Sets: Groups of elements sharing a specific attribute.
    • Intersection: The overlap of elements between these sets.
  • Move your hand to the top-left corner to feel the title: "UpSet Plot."
  • Explore the board to get an overview. The chart is located on the right side of the board.
  • The UpSet plot has three main sections:
    • Bottom-Left of the chart: A horizontal bar chart representing the size of each set (i.e., how many elements are in each set).
    • Bottom-Center of the chart: A matrix of circles showing different types of intersections between sets.
    • Top-Right of the chart: A vertical bar chart showing the size of each intersection (i.e., how many elements belong to each intersection).
  • The data:
    • In this model, we are exploring the Simpson characters and their attributes:
      • School
      • Blue Hair
      • Evil
      • Power Plant
    • Each character represents an element.
    • Their attributes (e.g., "School," "Blue Hair") form sets. Characters with a specific attribute belong to that set.
    • Intersections represent overlaps of attributes; for example, a character can belong to multiple sets.

Step 3: Exploring the Sections

Set Size Bars

  • Move your hand to the left edge of the chart
  • There are four horizontal bars. Each bar represents the size of a set.
  • Labels: On the left end of each bar, feel the Braille labels for set names.
  • Bar Lengths: Longer bars represent larger sets.
  • Reference Lines: Feel the lines and holes within each bar:
    • Each line represents one unit
    • Every fifth unit is marked with a slightly thicker reference line
    • These tactile markers help you count the total value of each bar
  • Numbers: On the right of each bar, feel the Braille numbers indicating set sizes.
  • From top to bottom, the sets and their size are:
    • School, 6
    • Power Plant, 5
    • Evil, 6
    • Blue Hair, 3

Intersection Matrix

  • Move your hand to the center of the chart
  • Below and to the right of this marker is the intersection matrix, a grid of circles.
  • Grid Overview:
    • Rows: Represent sets, aligned horizontally with the set size bars.
    • Columns: Represent different intersections.
  • Symbols in the Grid:
    • Filled Circles: The set is included in the intersection.
    • Empty Circles: The set is not included in the intersection.
    • Vertical Lines: Connect filled circles to help trace the columns.
  • Types of Intersections:
    • Empty Intersection: A column with no filled circles. This is a special intersection with elements that have none of the attributes.
      • Example: The first column (leftmost) represents an empty intersection. Trace along the column to feel that all circles are empty. The intersection size is labeled above as 8, meaning 8 characters have none of the four attributes.
    • Individual-Set Intersection: A column with only one filled circle.
    • Example: The second column from the left represents an individual-set intersection. It has one filled circle (School). The intersection size is labeled above as 4, meaning 4 characters have only the "School" attribute.
    • Multi-Set Intersection: A column with multiple filled circles.
      • Example: The last column (rightmost) has filled circles in the rows for "School" and "Blue Hair" and empty circles for the other two attributes. The intersection size is labeled above as 1, meaning 1 character has both attributes but not others.
    • All-Set Intersection: A column with all circles filled.
      • Example: In this plot, no column has all circles filled, meaning no character has all four attributes.
  • Intersection Degrees:
    • The number of sets included in the intersection increases from empty intersections to all-set intersections,
    • Low-Degree Intersection: Few sets are included.
    • High-Degree Intersection: Many sets are included.

Intersection Size Bars

  • Move your hand to the top-right of the chart
  • There are eight vertical bars, each corresponding to a possible intersection.
  • Height: Taller bars indicate larger intersection sizes.
  • Labels: Below each bar, the intersection size is written in Braille.
  • Reference Lines: Same as the horizontal bars.
    • Each line represents one unit
    • Every fifth unit is marked with a slightly thicker reference line
    • These tactile markers help you count the total value of each bar
  • Correspondence: The filled-in cells in the column directly below the bar show which sets are part of that intersection.
  • Features of Intersections in This Plot:
    • The tallest bar (leftmost) represents the empty set, with a size of 8.
    • Bars are sorted by size in descending order. Moving from left to right, the bar heights decrease, representing intersection sizes down to 1.

Recap

  • Left Section: Horizontal bars show set sizes.
  • Center Grid: Circles and lines represent intersections.
  • Top-Right Section: Vertical bars show the size of these intersections.