In late February, Google, in partnership with non-profit art and technology center Eyebeam, started the Data Viz Challenge — a call to information architects, designers and developers to tap the WhatWePayFor.com API and create visualizations for how tax payers’ contributions are spent.
After receiving more than 40 submissions, Google has whittled down the competition to six finalists. A committee will select a single winner who will be awarded a $5,000 cash prize.
Each of the finalists, whose work can be seen below, has created a project that shows tax payers how their federal tax dollars are allocated in various machinations. The visualizations, which hing e around salaries, filing status and other data points, are quite illuminating — or horrifying, depending on how you feel about Uncle Sam’s take of your wages.
Take a look at the finalists, interact with the visualizations, rate your favorites and look for Google and Eyebeam to announce the winner on everyone’s favorite day: Tax Day, April 18.
Budget Climb
Budget Climb gives users an interactive data environment for 26 years of federal spending.
Developed by NYU students Zach Schwartz, Fred Truman and Frankie Cheung, Budget Climb displays budget data as a cityscape that the user can physically explore using Kinect.
What Do You Work For?
In this visualization, creator Jeffrey Baumes answers the question, "Where would your money go if you paid your federal taxes with your entire income starting January first?"
Here's a hint: If you file as a single worker and claim $50,000 in annual income, in the 13 working days from...
