telling stories with data: class notes 2
TRANSCRIPT
Making Charts from SpreadsheetsTelling Stories with Data: Class #2March 22th, 2017
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Quiz 1.
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Housekeepinggo to https://docs.google.com
...and you should see this.
If you don't, you'll need toget a Google Docs account.
What is a Visualization?David Newbury — @workergnome 4
Visualizations arevisual.
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Visualizations summarize.288,987 census blocks, 9.562 million people. 1 picture.
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Visualizations contain Information.
• Data - facts or statements• Information - relationships • Knowledge - usefulness• Wisdom - real meaning
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Visualizations arefor humans.That big white triangledoes not exist.
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Today's Todos:
—Make a Spreadsheet—Make a Chart—Use data to tell a Story.
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And now,The most exciting slide ever...
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A Brief Historyof The Spreadsheet.
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Columns of Numbers
(This is not my handwriting.)
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Accounting Worksheets
(This is alsonot my handwriting.)
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ComputersThey're computing.
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DigitalComputersApple II, ca. 1977
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Visicalc (1979)"A magic sheet of paper that can perform calculations and recalculations."— Bob Frankston, Creator
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Lotus 1-2-3 (1983)Called 1-2-3 for three things:
1. A spreadsheet2. A database3. A charting tool
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Let's not say PC compatible. Instead, let's say '1-2-3 compatible.'— Infoworld February 27, 1984
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Microsoft Excel (~1993)
I told you this would be exciting.
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Google Sheets (~2012)
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Why Spreadsheets?Agricultural account tablet in Sumerian referring to flocks and herds. ca. 2400 BCE.
Harry Ransom CenterUniversity of Texas at Austin
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Create a New Spreadsheet
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Make A Copy.
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Live Demo #1.
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Data.
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Live Demo #2.
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Charts.
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Data...
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...Stories.
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Why Charts?Charts are shortcutsto understanding.
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Changes Humans Notice
• Color
• Area
• Angle
• Length
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ColorUse for categories
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AreaUse to show differences
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AnglesUse to highlightconvergence or divergence
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LengthUse for comparisons
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A 5% change matters• 5% lighter
• 5% Bigger
• 5% Rotated
• 5% Longer
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What to use and when.
• Color: Indicate Categories
• Area: Highlight Differences
• Angle: Show Convergence
• Length: Compare Differences
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The partsof a chart.
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Remove Chart Junk
Only keep what you needto tell your story.
The rest is distraction.
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Live Demo #3
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Choosinga chart type.
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Ask a question:What type of fruit do I like?
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Pie ChartsFor comparing percentages
—No more than 4 or 5 slices.—Limited accuracy.—Easy to understand.
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Ask a question:What fruit do I eat the most of?
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Bar ChartFor comparing values
—Can have many values.—Good accuracy.—Easy to understand.—Zeros show up.
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Ask a question:What fruit did I eat more of last week?
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Bar ChartsFor comparing values
—Can have many values.—Good accuracy.—Easy to understand.—Zeros show up.
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Bar ChartsFor comparing values
—Can have many values.—Good accuracy.—Easy to understand.—Zeros show up.
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Ask a question:What week did I eat more fruit?
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Stacked BarsFor comparing totals
—Harder to understand.—Good when you don't care
about the individual values
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Different charts tell different stories.
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Pie ChartsComparing percentages
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Ask a question:What percent of the fruit I eat are apples?
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Pie ChartsComparing a part to the whole
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Pie ChartsContextual Colors
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Pie ChartsIncorrect Colors
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Pie ChartsToo Subtle Colors
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Color can help or hinder telling your story.
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No. Just...no.
We read chartsleft to right; bottom to top.
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Charts vs. GraphsA Chart shows quantitativechange over one axis
A Graph compares quantitative change over two axis
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Ask a question:How does my fruit consumption change over time?
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Live Demo #4.
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Line Graphs
A continuous value over time
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Smoothed Line Graph
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Ask a question:What does my annual fruit consumption look like?
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Many Values: Line Graph
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Many Values: Smooth Line Graph
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Many Values: Histogram
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Area Graph
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Sometimes,the data needs help.
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Live Demo #5
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Line Chart
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Quiz 1.
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Homework: Due Monday, before class
Create a Google Sheets visualization about foods you like.datastories.davidnewbury.com/homework/homework_1.html
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