The beauty of data visualization

David McCandless:

http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mccandless_the_beauty_of_data_visualization

What is it about?

• David McCandless turns complex data sets (like worldwide military spending, media buzz, Facebook status updates) into beautiful, simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections. Good design, he suggests, is the best way to navigate information glut -- and it may just change the way we see the world.

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David McCandless

• Programmer, writer, designer• David McCandless draws beautiful conclusions

from complex datasets -- thus revealing unexpected insights into our world.

• David McCandless makes infographics -- simple, elegant ways to see information that might be too complex or too big, small, abstract or scattered to otherwise be grasped.

Comprehension / Vocabulary

• Information overload• Billion dollar o gram• Fear chart• Data is the new oil -> data is the new soil• Bandwidth of senses• 2 languages at same time – absolute data vs

relative data• Let data set change your mind set

OIL SOIL

DATA DATA VISUALIZATION

Billion dollar-0-gram

• What does the size of the box represent? The color?

• What is the most interesting number for you?

• Why is a chart like this useful?• How do you normally understand

figures in the millions, billions, and trillions of dollars?

Facebook break-ups

• What does the chart so?• This is fun but why might this be useful?• What other things would you liked to see

charted from facebook?

Supplements and Research

• What does this chart show?• What does the size of the circle represent?• What does the location on the chart

represent?• Do you take supplements? Why or why not?

Data input

• What does this chart show?• What is the tiny box on the bottom right

represent?• What do you think is your strongest sense?

Political Map Discussion

• Holding two conflicting viewpoints at same time – Political viewpoint

• Something unthreatening about seeing different viewpoints

Summary

• Examples of data visualization that you like?• Don’t like?

• Do you think David was sincere or is just trying to sell a book

Discussion / Follow up

• What other data sets would you like to see visualized?– Government spending?– Your eating habits?– Your facebook habits?– Your friends’ facebook habits?– Poverty in your city?– What else??