Tidlinje

Tidlinje is a visual representation of events arranged along a time axis, showing when events occur in relation to each other. The term is used in Norwegian contexts and corresponds to the English word "timeline." A tidlinje can be linear or vertical, with dates or time points marked along the axis and events represented by labels, icons, or short descriptions. The main purpose is to convey sequence, duration, and temporal relationships for study, planning, or communication.

Formats vary: simple linear timelines with evenly spaced marks, segmented timelines that group events into eras, vertical timelines in posters, or interactive digital timelines that allow zooming, filtering, and tooltips. Components typically include a time scale, events with dates, concise labels, and visual markers such as dots or milestones, sometimes accompanied by annotations.

Applications include history education, project management, research, journalism, genealogy, and product roadmapping. In education, tidslinjer help students understand cause and effect and long-term trends. In projects, they support milestones, deliverables, and dependencies.

Construction basics: define the overall span, collect events, decide the granularity (year, month, day), choose an orientation and scale, place events chronologically, and annotate to avoid clutter. For digital timelines, designers add interactivity and accessibility features.

Origin and relation: timelines have ancient roots in chronicles and maps and gained modern use in schools, museums, and media during the 19th and 20th centuries. Related concepts include chronology, history, and Gantt charts in project management.