Make Your Data Come Alive: Visual Design's Role in Creating Compelling Visualizations

MAKE YOUR DATA COME ALIVE Visual Design's Role in Creating Compelling Visualizations

Hulda Nelson, Lead DesignerLaurie Frasier, Designer, Public AffairsAllison Bloodworth, Senior User Experience Designer

VISUAL DESIGN IS 1% GIFT. 99% LEARNABLE SKILL.

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Activity prep - find some data!http://budget.berkeley.edu/projects/calplanning

http://calanswers.berkeley.edu/http://www.berkeley.edu/about/fact.shtml

http://calanswers.berkeley.edu/

VISUAL DESIGNTOP TEN

1Use a grid

711/15/13 | Lorem Ipsum

2Allow for breathing room

3Choose fonts carefully

4Use colors tastefully.


kuler.adobe.com

2611/15/13 | Lorem Ipsumcolourlovers.com

5Pay attention to hierarchy.

6Use uncomplicated photography

http://search.creativecommons.org/

gallery.berkeley.edu



http://gallery.berkeley.edu/

7Use Adobe Suite

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7Simplify, Simplify

8Simplify, simplify


1999 2001

2002 2006


2007 2011

2014

9Look at good design

INFOGRAPHIC INSPIRATION

Carl De TorresEdward TufteNigel HolmesTYPE INSPIRATION

Jessica HischeEmigreJoshua Darden (Freight font designer)

SOME GRAPHIC DESIGN LEGENDS

Massimo VignelliTibor KalmanPaula ScherMilton Glaser

10Practice, practice, practice!


1. Use a grid (line things up)2. Allow for breathing room3. Choose fonts carefully4. Use colors tastefully5. Pay attention to hierarchy6. Use uncomplicated

photography7. Use Adobe Creative Suite8. Simplify, Simplify9. Look at good design10.Practice, practice, practice!

Visual Design Top 10

10Try something new.CREATING AWESOMEINFOGRAPHICS!

Info Visualization

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Preattentive attributes

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Analytical Patterns

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Gestalt Principles

Why Infographics?

1Gather & review data

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Data exampleshttp://budget.berkeley.edu/projects/calplanninghttp://calanswers.berkeley.edu/http://www.berkeley.edu/about/fact.shtml

http://calanswers.berkeley.edu/

2Find the narrative & hook

3Determine your information hierarchy

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• From

4Get creative about your info viz options

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The Feltron Annual Report:

http://feltron.com/ar12_02.html




Which wouldyou choose & why?

5Create a wireframe

6Determine your visual design approach

7Test & iterate!

8Publish & share

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Infographic Creation Resources• The Do’s and Don’ts of Infographic Design

– http://tinyurl.com/3p5qrje• Infographic Inspiration

– http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/– http://www.pinterest.com/mashable/infographics/

• 10 Free Tools for Creating Infographics– http://tinyurl.com/q3zujke

• 30 Infographic Templates & Vector Kits– http://tinyurl.com/b2gchgy

• Photoshop/Adobe Illustrator Infographic Templates– http://infographics.li/

• Powerpoint Infographic Templates– http://tinyurl.com/lyvfgtj

http://tinyurl.com/3p5qrje

http://www.pinterest.com/mashable/infographics/

http://www.pinterest.com/mashable/infographics/

http://tinyurl.com/q3zujke

http://infographics.li/

http://tinyurl.com/lyvfgtj

Let’s try it!1. Form groups of 2 (or 3)2. Choose a dataset3. Find a narrative & hook (10 mins)4. Discuss your narrative & hook with your partner (5 mins)5. Sketching!

Create 6 different visual representations of 1-3 different pieces of data. (10 mins)

6. Testing & discussion! (10 mins) Does your partner understand what you’re trying to

convey? Which representation of the data works the best and

why? What visual design and gestalt principles did you use?

Did they help convey your message?


1. Use a grid (line things up)

2. Allow for breathing room

3. Choose fonts carefully4. Use colors tastefully5. Pay attention to

hierarchy6. Use uncomplicated

photography7. Use Adobe Creative

Suite8. Simplify, Simplify9. Look at good design10. Practice, practice,

practice!

Visual Design Top 10 Create an infographic!1. Gather & review

data2. Find the narrative &

hook3. Determine the

information hierarchy

4. Get creative about your info viz options

5. Create a wireframe6. Determine your

visual design approach

7. Test & iterate8. Publish & share

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Infographic Examples• http://ceblog.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/

Infographic-of-infographics.jpg - too much stuff • http://media.creativebloq.futurecdn.net/sites/creativebloq.com/files/

images/2013/10/megabeer.jpg - dense info• web

http://media.creativebloq.futurecdn.net/sites/creativebloq.com/files/images/2013/10/productive.jpg - multiple narratives

• The Existential Calendar on her blog http://kellianderson.com/blog/2013/10/the-existential-calculator/. - animated

• http://neomam.com/interactive/13reasons/ Parallax scrolling dynamic • https://www.behance.net/gallery/Imaginary-Factory/8067551-

detailed• http://www.flickr.com/photos/bayerberg/6829135095 - funny• http://media.creativebloq.futurecdn.net/sites/creativebloq.com/files/

images/2013/02/kobebryant.jpg -

Make Your Data Come Alive: Visual Design's Role in Creating Compelling Visualizations

Design

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