Visualization Techniques and Practice

At the Visualized conference on November 9th, Neil Halloran posed an interesting question: Can DataViz lead to a data savvy society in the same way that the printing press lead to a literate one? One that is prepared to make tough decisions on complex issues?

Neil Halloran thinks so. That’s why he created VisualBudget.org to cut through hyperbole surrounding the what may be the most frequently misunderstood and pressing issue facing Americans today, our massive $16 trillion dollar deficit.

But how is a modern citizen supposed to make an informed decision on issues of tremendous scope and complexity, such as the fiscal cliff or the growing budget deficit without falling back on sound bites and punditry? Neil Halloran’s solution is to tell a story. Rather than simply presenting a static infographic or a set of tabular data on federal receipts and expenditures, VisualBudget.org takes you on a interactive tour...

Via Lauren Moss

From simple charts to complex maps and infographics, Brian Suda's round-up of the best – and mostly free – tools has everything you need to bring your data to life...

A common question is how to get started with data visualisations. Beyond following blogs, you need to practice – and to practice, you need to understand the tools available. In this article, get introduced to 20 different tools for creating visualisations: from simple charts to complex graphs, maps and infographics. Almost everything here is available for free, and \you may have installed already...

Via Lauren Moss

We live in a world steeped in graphic information. From Google Maps and GIS to the proliferation of infographics and animated maps, visual data surrounds us.

While we may think of infographics as a relatively recent development to make sense of the immense amount of data available on the Web, they actually are rooted in the 19th century.

Two major developments led to a breakthrough in infographics: advances in lithography and chromolithography, which made it possible to experiment with different types of visual representations, and the availability of vast amounts of data, including from the American Census as well as natural scientists, who faced heaps of information about the natural world, such as daily readings of wind, rainfall, and temperature spanning decades.

But such data was really only useful to the extent that it could be rendered in visual form. And this is why innovation in cartography and graphic visualization mattered so greatly...

Via Lauren Moss

Curatored by Beth Kanter

http://www.bethkanter.org

Is an infographic good or not?

(1)  Graphics - look/feel

(2)  Are there insights shared based on data?

Via Lauren Moss

The human brain processes visual information much faster and digests this type of content concurrently, whereas it takes more time to break text down. So, for many, it makes more than just sense to have your complex information delivered to your target audience in the most legible format...

Infographics make good use of brain’s ability to assimilate knowledge and information through the visual medium, making tough-to-crack-data appealing. Simply put, an infographic is a carefully composed collage of images, content, charts, stats, diagrams, animations & video to graphically represent information.

Infographics are used by various quarters such as educational institutions, acadamecians, businesses, newspapers, and just anybody who are serious about putting across their point in the most simplest manner. Infographics take different forms- venn diagrams, charts, timelines, maps and more. They are not merely a design or an image or random data; their purpose should be seen from every angle.

Visit the link to learn more about the process of creating infographics, how to implement online tools and resources, and best practices...

Via Lauren Moss

On September 27th, the world's best examples of visually stunning information was recognized at the inaugural Information is Beautiful awards.

The event, held at London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, awarded designers from all over the world in a variety of categories, including data visualisation, infographics and data journalism.

When David McCandless, author, data journalist and founder of the IIB data-visualisation studio, announced in early 2012 that IIB was looking for award applicants, he was inundated with over 1,000 entries.

"I've just been amazed by the sheer quality of the creative work submitted to the awards from around the world," McCandless told Wired.co.uk. "There are a number of criteria we look for when judging these awards. Not only do they have to have the right visual quality and be easily understood, they have to have that invisible element of story telling as well."

Read the complete article for a closer look at all the winners, selected by a panel of judges including musician and visual artist Brian Eno, senior curator of the Museum of Modern Art Paola Antonelli, BrainPickings.org editor Maria Popova and Guardian Datablog editor Simon Rogers.

Via Lauren Moss

You’re a marketer. And half your job is marketing your ideas. Like it or not, you have to be good at proving your point, ‘cause being right isn’t enough. You have to justify the time, dollars and effort required for your internet marketing campaign. In the meeting room struggle for resources, your best weapon is great data presentation.

Events tell a story. and people more easily follow a story told visually than one told verbally.

Want to get better? Avoid these six gigantic visualization mistakes...

Via Lauren Moss

Robin Good: David McCandlees, the author of the book Information is Beautiful celebrates great data visualization and information design work through the Information is Beautiful Awards.

Together with a jury of experts like Brian Eno, Paola Antonelli, Maria Popova, Simon Rogers and Aziz Kami, he has curated a unique selection of 300 designs and a short list of finalists in the following categories:

» Data visualization– A singular visualisation of data or information.» Infographic – Using multiple data visualisations in service to a theme or story

» Interactive visualization – Any viz where you can dynamically filter or explore the data.

» Data journalism – A combination of text and visualizations in a journalistic format.

» Motion infographic – Moving and animated visualizations along a theme or story.

» Tool or website – Online tools & apps to aid datavizzing.

The selection itself is worth a tour of the site and of this initiative.

Check: http://www.informationisbeautifulawards.com/

Longlist selection: http://www.informationisbeautifulawards.com/2012/07/our-longlist/

Shortlist selection: http://www.informationisbeautifulawards.com/2012/08/awardshortlist/

Via Robin Good