Data visualization tools and techniques for non-experts. Target audience for this presentation is journalists. By Steve Outing, media futurist & digital-news innovator, Boulder, CO.

1. Data visualizations are not boring
anymore*
* And anyone can create them now
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

2. Should all journalists learn
data viz, infographic, photo skills?
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

3. Back in the ‘newsolithic’ era…
Early software
tools crude
compared to
today’s
Dedicated
graphic artist
Reporter/editor
trained in CARR,
analyzing data
Static
visualizations
only
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

4. Tools used then have advanced
More powerful,
capable
Static or interactive
or video …
But expensive
Takes time to learn
Steep learning curve
Perhaps too much
for a busy multitasking journalist
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

5. Still relevant: Excel (when statistical
analysis software is more than you need)
Older Excel: weaknesses
over using statisticalanalysis software (SAS,
SPSS, Stata, OriginPro, JMP)
New Excel: beefed up for
data analysis
Must install “data analysis”
add-on (user option)
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

6. More-powerful, easy-to-use tools are here:
Still need Excel and Adobe?
Free! Download client app [Windows only! :( ] … Hosted on web free … Embed on your site
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

7. Image, visualization software
is experiencing a transition
FROM!
client-based
TO!
cloud-based
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

8. Many easier-to-use tools are now
not on desktop: Use them in the cloud
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

9. Example: Infogr.am
Simple enough for anyone to use
Limited!
free account!
OR!
$12/month!
plan
Flawed
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

10. An Infogr.am interactive graphic
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

11. Infogr.am and its competitors
partly eliminate need for graphic artists
“Infogr.am wants to create a sort of Adobe
Illustrator in the Cloud, allowing anyone to
create cool info-graphics on the fly.”
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

12. Other simple-to-use cloud-based
data visualization/infographic tools
Free trial; $14-$29/month
Still free for now
Private beta,
but you can
sign up for
account
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

13. The problem when data visualization
tools are available for everyone
Pretty…
Effective data visualization…
Nearly incomprehensible!!
But a bit plain looking
Sources: Harvard Business Review, JunkCharts.com
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

14. But even if you’re not an expert,
you can learn the ropes
Bar Chart: As simple as you can get with data visualization
Flawed
Much better!!
No need to turn head to read type
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

15. What could be better about this
recent NY Times data visualization?
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

16. You don’t have to be an artist
to be creative in presenting data
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com

17. Some good data-viz resources
junkcharts.typepad.com - Blog; lessons, tips on effective data
visualization
Book: “The Functional Art: An introduction to information
graphics and visualization” - by Alberto Cairo
Blogs:
visualizing.org … informationisbeautiful.net … flowingdata.com
… infosthetics.com … visualisingdata.com …
datavis.tumblr.com
These presentation slides can be found here:
http://www.slideshare.net/steveouting1
Steve Outing (media futurist, digital-news innovator) • http://mediadisruptus.com • steveouting@gmail.com