data visualizations are not boring anymore! (updated)
DESCRIPTION
Overview of data visualization tools, techniques, best practices, etc.TRANSCRIPT
anymore*
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
* Now anyone can learn to love data
Data and data-visualizations are not boring
(last updated: November 3, 2014)
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Should all journalists learn data visualization, infographics skills?
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
No one can escape the massive growth of data – especially journalists
Exponential growth in data
Social media data
Sensor data
Mobile-phone sensor data
Government data
Treasure trove of news and story ideas for journalists (much not possible in past)
News organizations hiring more data editors
“Internet of Things” means even more sensors!
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Rate of growth in data is scary fast
But this presentsenormous opportunity
for journalists tospot trends and
identify untold stories
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Social media data is a big part of growth (because we voluntarily share so much)
Tweets per day: 500 millionSource: Twitter
Source: Instagram Source: Statistica
Facebook per day:• likes per day: 4.5 billion• items shared: 4.75 billion• photos posted: 350 million
Instagram:• photos per day: 58 million• “likes” per day: 1.65 billion
Source: Facebook
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Social media analysis tools find insights in all that data
} The “Social Cocktail”
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Much can be understood by visualizing social-media data
Data in action: Ebola doctor’s movements from his mobile phone
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
A data visualization can tell the story all by itself
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
A data visualization can tell the story mostly by itself
Trends
More and more data becoming accessible (exponential growth)
Data analysis tools available for everyone (You don’t need a degree in statistics)
Data visualization tools continue to be easier to use and more powerful
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Great tools … Not easy to master
More powerful, capable
Static or interactive or video …
But expensive
Takes time to learn
Steep learning curve
Perhaps too much for a busy multi-tasking journalist
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
More-powerful, easy-to-use tools are here: Still need Excel and Adobe applications?
Client app: free trial … Or use Tableau Public for free … Embed visualizations on your site
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Example of interactive data visualization using Tableau
Many easier-to-use tools are now not on desktop: Use them in the cloud
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
The problem when data visualization tools are available for everyone
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Pretty…
Nearly incomprehensible!!
Effective data visualization…
But a bit plain lookingSources: Harvard Business Review, JunkCharts.com
But even if you’re not an expert, you can learn the ropes
Bar Chart: As simple as you can get with data visualization
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Flawed Much better!No need to turn head to read type
What’s wrong with this map? (So many things!)
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
via Alberto Cairo, University of Miami
This is much better
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
via Alberto Cairo, University of Miami
Please don’t use data to lie or misrepresent the real story
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
via Alberto Cairo, University of Miami
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
A few data visualization tipsNot all big data is useful data … e.g., Twitter data may not help you answer some questions, but will help on others
With social-media data, pick the best source(s) … Disqus comments or Tumblr might be better fit for what you seek; combining sources in “social cocktail” may yield best insight
Tell a story! … Dont’ just create charts; use data and visualizations as the means to telling a story
Presentation: How much data, complexity does reader need? … Keep it as simple as possible in visualization
Data: Attribute your sources; link to source data
Don’t let your numbers lie! … Proper chart form; 0 baseline; etc.
Choose the right chart type for your data … Here’s a handy guide
Design: Don’t clutter with useless illustration
Design follows data!
Design: Keep color blindness in mind … 8-10% males; <1% females
ProPublica Nerds Bloghttp://www.propublica.org/nerds/ PP’s Tools and Style Guides https://github.com/propublica/
The Guardian Data Bloghttp://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog
Texas Tribune: The Data http://www.texastribune.org/library/data/
Information Aesthetics http://infosthetics.com
Chart Porn bloghttp://chartporn.org
Book: “The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization” - by Alberto Cairo
Good news data-viz resources
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • [email protected]
Steve OutingMedia futurist, Digital-news innovator | [email protected]
http://mediadisruptus.com
http://www.slideshare.net/steveouting1