I've been busily coding away on my final project for my data visualization independent study. I'm looking at data that I've been slowly acquiring on the life of art galleries that were in Chicago in 1990. Back then, the Chicago Artists' Coalition had a complete listing in a pamphlet (more like a book) they put out for artists Read More...
While talking to data reporters from around the country, it’s become apparent to me that the best work is done when the staff is supportive. Some newspapers are doing great work, and some are struggling. Which led me to wonder how the investigative organizations are doing, new and encouraging experimentation to draw eyes and inform readers Read More...
Data visualization is a tool that is applicable in many industries. Some visualizations are made to help business owners make decisions, some to help reporters perform analysis to make discoveries. But what takes a visualization, or interactive piece, from something that helps a news producer, to something that helps a news consumer, requires someone who understands what a user is looking for Read More...
Information is fascinating at many different levels. Show me a simple graph of the components that make up a whole, that tells me something. I've found almost anything is more interesting when looked at across time, since it adds another dimension. This also helps with analysis, because outliers or rapid changes are often related to historical events Read More...
I'm not anything resembling a visual genius, but I like to believe I have enough of an eye that I can tell what works and what doesn't. The reason Tufte's books are so helpful is that they tell me why something works, and give me rules so I know what I can and can't do. That's why I have great appreciation for the Tufte chapter of the week: "The Smallest Effective Difference" in my ongoing exploration of "Visual Explanations Read More...
For the past week, we've been hearing a lot of media coverage focusing on issues both encouraging and discouraging, looking with excitement at the beginning of a new decade. But what captured my attention most recently was the release of unemployment figures from the end of 2009. If you look at the glass as half full, it's got to go up from here sometime soon, and if you look it as half empty, we're not starting in a strong economic place Read More...
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