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data visualization
Michelle Minkoff brings us wealth of interviews with “data delvers”
Michelle Minkoff, graduate student at Medill School of Journalism, has been working extremely hard over at her blog to provide us excellent interviews with numerous professionals specializing in computer-assisted reporting (CAR). Below are snippets from her eight interviews, but make sure to bookmark these links to read them in their entirety when you get the chance!
Intro to Information Visualization: 50+ blogs, books, people, software & more
A friend recently emailed me for advice on how to get started learning about data visualization. After overwhelming him with a mega list of resources, I thought that it may also be helpful for some of you. Furthermore, I am currently taking an excellent course with Dr. Brad Hemminger this semester titled Information Visualization, and he has also provided countless resources for his students. Thus, I decided to combine portions of the two lists and publish them for the II community. While it is not an all-encompassing list, I would argue that it’s a great start for beginners trying to get their feet wet. Enjoy!
Two interactive energy maps, one main difference: usability
I recently came across two interactive energy maps, one by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) tracking dirty heating oil in New York City, and the other by Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) displaying a wide range of renewable energy information around the world. Both display countless data points on a map mashup, but after playing with both it is evident that distinct decisions regarding the UI and interaction design resulted in two drastically different user experiences.
MSNBC interactive editor Vu Nguyen discusses stimulus tracker
I was pleasantly surprised to see Vu Nguyen’s blog “BiofusionDesign” come back alive recently with several posts about his latest mapping projects at MSNBC. The best part about it is that he discusses what tools he used for specific projects, and other “behind the scenes” information. If graphics interest you, I would highly suggest checking out Vu’s site for inspirational projects, insights and tips about the field.
Xplane visualizes our digital state in “Did You Know 4.0″
I recently watched “Did You Know 4.0,” a visual analysis of the digital world by design consultancy firm XPLANE. According to a blog post on their site, the video was developed with Keynote, and “the four and a half minute video visually informs about the brave new world of social media and newfound communication technologies, which have forever changed the media landscape.”
Multimedia Round Table | Under 21
Back in May, Roanoke.com producers launched a multimedia package detailing the issue of underage drinking titled “Under 21.” I just had the chance to check out the online version, and I am curious to hear your take on the site. Take a five minute break from work (don’t worry, your boss won’t mind!) to browse through the package and then give me your feedback in II’s latest round table discussion.
USA Today launches innovative presidential approval tracker
USA Today recently launched an interactive Flash module visualizing the approval ratings of the last twelve presidents in an innovative and colorful presentation. “Presidential approval tracker” lets users compare approval ratings chronologically, or in comparison to others. Customized pie charts, a scalable timeline, and an elegant interface are only a few of the many assets I love about this interactive.
Multimedia Tip: Five quick fixes to enhance your next interactive
While judging the last quarter of SNDies, I came across an interactive by The Detroit News, titled “Why Michiganians are leaving the state and where they’re going.” Although I was impressed with the time and effort they invested in this package, I also noted several quick fixes that could have elevated this from a mediocre presentation to an exceptional piece. Using it as an example, I came up with a list of five suggestions to improve any multimedia presentation.
Guantanamo Bay interactive presents data effectively
I wanted to highlight a recent AP interactive, titled “Shutting down the Guantanamo Bay detention camp” for several reasons. First, I blogged about another AP interactive, “Bailout Tracker,” that did not use data visualization as effectively as this example, and I thought the two could be used as a great case example. Second, this type of story is the ideal situation to present data to the users, allowing them to find their own story.
Data visualization tools for free or cheap
After finally taking the time to watch the NewsU webinar on data visualization that I blogged about back in March, I was inclined to research more about different apps, tools and concepts required to create compelling data visualization interactives. Interestingly enough, I have found that regardless of owning the Adobe suite, anyone can put together stunning graphics with open-source applications.
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