Worth 1,000 Words How to use information graphics to make data meaningful

National Association for Career and Technical Education InformationMay 17, 2012

Rhonda Welfarerhonda.welfare@dpi.nc.gov

Visualization

Using graphic images to tell a story with data

Goal of information graphics

Readable

Understandable

Usable

Every artistic decision made with the needs of readers in mind.

“Graphical excellence is that which gives to the viewer the greatest number of ideas in the shortest time, with the least amount of ink in the smallest amount of space.”

Edward TufteThe Visual Display of Quantitative Information

Why use information graphics?

Helps the reader see patterns and relationships

Reinforces information

Efficient use of reader time

Communicates complex information clearly

Getting started

Ask what story you want to tell

Think character development

Design considerations

Explain encodings (legend)

Label axes if needed

Get the math right

Edit unnecessary words and digits

Graphic should be able to stand alone

Include the source

Consider the audience NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

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Organize data

Spreadsheet

Assign record number

Use unique identifier

Find problems with data Relevant Accurate Realistically reported Check for missing data Not misleading Identify projections vs.

real data Identify contributing

factors

What software to use?

WHATEVER WORKS FOR

YOU

Examples Out of the box

Excel Google Spreadsheets

Some assembly required Java Apex R

Illustration tools Adobe Illustrator Freehand

Types of graphics

Text driven Timeline

Can be tied to a series of historic events Tables

When numbers themselves are important Fact boxes

To emphasize

Categorical data (proportional)

Pie charts Small number of

values Sort from greatest to

least Must add up to 100% Indicate what “the

whole” represents Proportions and design

must be accurate Use of color

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

Categorical data (proportional)

Donut chart Very few values

Stacked bar Instead of multiple pie

charts

Combination Call out area of

interest

Total804,850

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012Breakdown is approximate

Categorical data (not proportional)

Bar graph Either horizontal or

vertical X is category Y is number or percent

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

Time series (cross section)

What are you looking for? Trends over time

Bar graph Y scale X time Use of color

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

Time series (cross section)

Stacked bar Only if values are

meaningful

Scatterplot Y scale X time Use grid to make it

easier to read

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

Time series (continuous measure)

What are you looking for? Changes over time

Line graph (fever chart) Shows how a single

value changes across time

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

Multiple variables

What are you looking for? Correlation Relationships

Scatterplot

Bubble chart

Distribution/histogram

NC CTE Analysis & Reporting System, NCDPI 2012

NC CTE Enrollment Trends

Design considerations

Label each data point

Sans serif font Legend and labels 10 pt (print), 14 pt (presentation) Headlines 18 pt (print), 24 pt bold (presentation)

When should you hire someone to do it for you? When you don’t have time to do it right When your ideas are greater than your skills When you don’t have any ideas

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Data can be fun!

http://graphjam.memebase.com/Using charts and graphs to explore popular culture

http://blog.okcupid.comQuantitative representation of tweets

http://www.jir.comThe Journal of Irreproducible Results

Where to find data

Your reports Performance indicators Enrollment Financial data

Other sources of data www.census.gov

The Census Bureau Data.gov and numbrary.com

Catalogs of government data Nces.ed.gov

National Center for Education Statistics

Where to learn more

Wong, Dona M. (2010). Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don’ts of Presenting Data, Facts and Figures.

Harris, Robert L. (2000) Information Graphics: A comprehensive Illustrated Reference

Klanten, R., Ehmann, S., and Schulze, F. (2011). Visual storytelling: Inspiring a New Visual Language.

Yau, Nathan. (2011). Visualize This: The FlowingData Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics. Flowingdata.com

George-Palilonis, Jennifer (2008). A Practical Guide to Graphics Reporting: Information Graphics for Print, Web & Broadcast.

Tufte, Edward (2011). The Visual Display of Quantitative Information.

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