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The Empty Glass – an interactive visualization of global water access

The Empty Glass – an interactive visualization of global water access

by idowuinumimo·Mar 9, 2026·1 point·1 comment

AI Analysis

MidEye CandyCozy

Glass metaphor makes water inequality visceral, but static data viz without interaction depth.

Strengths
  • Clever use of a single physical object (glass) to translate abstract global inequality into intuitive, memorable form.
  • WHO/UNICEF JMP source is authoritative; 2024 population data ensures recency and credibility.
  • Mobile-responsive design and simple country selector invite exploration without overwhelming UI.
Weaknesses
  • Single interactive element (select country, see glass fill); no temporal trends, regional comparisons, or causal analysis.
  • Misses deeper storytelling: no breakdown by rural/urban, infrastructure investment, climate risk, or solutions—just a metric.
Category
Target Audience

Educators, students, development organizations, data visualization enthusiasts

Similar To

Our World in Data · Gapminder · World Bank Data Visualizations

Post Description

I built an interactive project called The Empty Glass.

It visualizes access to safely managed drinking water using a single object: a glass.

Users select a country and the glass fills or doesnt, based on the percentage of people with access to safe drinking water.

Instead of charts or maps, the idea was to translate global inequality into a simple physical experience.

Data source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme.

Curious to hear feedback from the community.

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