A hexbin map uses hexagons to split the area into several parts and attribute a color to each of them. The graphic area (which can be a geographical area) is divided into a multitude of hexagons and the number of data points in each is counted and represented using a color gradient. This chart is used to visualize density, where hexagon as a shape permits to create contiguous areas easily while dividing the whole space into discrete units.
In Luzmo, creating a hexbin map is straightforward. Click on add Item, then scroll to the ‘Maps’ section and select the Hexbin Map from the map charts. Drag it onto your dashboard.
Upon selecting ‘data’ settings, you will be prompted to fill in two dataslots: geography and measure. Let's explore each one:
For a hexbin map, you need geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) to place your hexagons accurately. Use Luzmo's public datasets with geographic columns or upload your own. You would need to have longitude and latitude columns in your dataset and create a Coordinates column from those, as explained in our academy article here.
While we recomment coordinates for this map type, topography data can also be used. However, please keep in mind that certain use cases (for example countries with multiple territories) may generate imprecise results, with the center of the topographical area being ouside of the main country area.
After adding your geography data, and linking it to your measure dataset if needed, you can just add your measure column to the Measure slot. The data will appear immediately on the map.
Once you’ve added your data to the geography and measure slots, the hexagons will populate the map. Customize the color of the hexagons in the theme settings to match your dashboard's look. You can also change map style and other functions in the settings.
In addition to color customization, the hexbin map also allows customization in terms of the aggregation that is being used, as well as the number of classes and the color method (all found in the "Classification" section of the map settings).
The symbol and spike maps are similar to the hexbin map. Instead of hexagonal symbols, they display circular symbols or spikes. More information about all available map types can be found here.