Data Visualisation Literacy - Learning to See
Transcript of Data Visualisation Literacy - Learning to See
DATA VISUALISATION LITERACY
Andy Kirk
www.visualisingdata.com @visualisingdata
READING
WRITING
The two sides of literacy
CONSUMING
CREATING
The two sides of visualisation literacy
There are many more readers than creators
All creators need to be sophisticated readers
The two sides of visualisation literacy
What factors in the consumption process influence the possibility of producing effective data visualisations?
What factors in the creation process influence the
possibility of producing effective data visualisations?
Seeing Data: Research questions
General public: To better understand and create resources to help ‘everyday’ people improve their
visualisation literacy levels
Visualisation professionals: To contribute to data visualisation practice by sharing understanding of how data visualisations are received by the general public
Seeing Data: Core aims
Experimental practice: Commissioning of new work for study experimentation
Social semiotic analysis of visualisations
Interviews with visualisation professionals (13)
Short-term diary keeping & focus groups with visualisation ‘users’ (46 participants)
Talking mats (8 visualisation projects)
Longer-term diary keeping & interviews with visualisation ‘users’ (7 participants)
Seeing Data: Mixed methods
seeingdata.org/vis
Liked it and learnt something
Liked it but didn’t learn
anything
Disliked it but learnt something
Disliked it and didn’t learn
anything
<< D
idn’
t Lea
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Lear
nt >
>
Liked it >> << Disliked it
<< D
idn’
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Lear
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Liked it >> << Disliked it
Socio-cultural factors that affect the engagement of readers
Findings and reflections
relevant to creators
The two sides of visualisation literacy
Visualisation is about facilitating UNDERSTANDING
What do we mean by engagement?
Reading
What does it show? What marks & attributes?
Where is big, medium, small? How do things compare?
Facilitating understanding
Reading Interpreting
What does it mean? Is it good or bad?
Meaningful or insignificant? Unusual or expected?
What does it show? What marks & attributes?
Where is big, medium, small? How do things compare?
Facilitating understanding
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
What does it mean? Is it good or bad?
Meaningful or insignificant? Unusual or expected?
What does it mean to me? Main messages?
What have I learnt? What actions to take?
What does it show? What marks & attributes?
Where is big, medium, small? How do things compare?
Subject matter and relevance
“Data visualization is like family photos. If you don't know the people in the picture, beauty of
the composition won't keep your attention.”
Zach Gemignani, Juice Analytics
https://twitter.com/zachgemignani/status/382498970603229185
Bias, interest, indifference, irrelevance
http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2013/06/appreciating-the-critical-role-of-subject-matter/
Bias, interest, indifference, irrelevance
“I didn’t like what the topic was. What was the point?”
Personal relevance matters
“Bored. Why? What do I learn? More of a poor marketing effort than useful data
graphic. I can think of several ways to improve but I keep coming back to the
same question: Why bother?”
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Games Goals
Lionel Messi: Games and Goals for FC Barcelona
R I C
Subject knowledge matters
Patrick Kane: Games and Points for Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
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Games Points
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Subject knowledge matters
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
Can I form meaning? What does it mean to me? Am I interested?
SUBJECT MATTER Is it of interest and/or of relevance to you? Do I have the knowledge to draw my own insights/meaning? TOPIC Read through any introductions that might explain in more detail what the project is specifically about and NOT about.
Advice for readers
DEFINE AND SERVE YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
“Design for your audience” – easier said than done but often only said and not done…
What do they know and not know?
Will they be automatically interested or will they need some degree of persuasion/seduction?
Should you care if many won’t be interested?
Advice for creators
Trust and prejudice
http://visual.ons.gov.uk/uk-perspectives-housing-and-home-ownership-in-the-uk/ | http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2921610/End-home-ownership-dream-Just-1-10-25s-property-ladder-house-prices-soar.html
Do you trust who made it and where it is?
Trust issues are often beyond our control
http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-deaths-in-florida-increased-with-stand-your-ground-2014-2
Trust is hard to secure, easy to lose
“China uses the most water. But off-hand, I don’t know comparative population of
geographic area, so, so-what. This vis is flawed in so many
ways it’s almost anti-science!”
“Isn’t [sic] Asylum Seekers on the up in 2014?”
Changing beliefs, opinions, prejudices is hard
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
Are these insights accurate? Can I use this?
Reading
Can I read this?
WHO MADE IT? WHERE IS IT PUBLISHED? Look at the details of the URL/author – voice of authority/integrity? HOW DID THEY MAKE IT? What data was used, from where, what treatment? NEED TO APPRECIATE THE CREATION PROCESS 99.9% of creators mean well! Availability of data, contextual restrictions, representation options, influence of intermediaries, influence of conventions.
Advice for readers
BE TRANSPARENT Tell people what you’ve done and why, explain what it does and doesn’t show. BE REALISTIC Some topics are inherently up against trust issues, you can’t convince everyone (you might not need to/wish to). ABIDE BY THE DESIGN RULES Don’t abuse visual attributes, such as unnecessary 3D decoration, axis truncation, geometric flaws, dumb charts.
Advice for creators
Confidence and skills
Numeracy: Mathematical and statistical
Graphical literacy: Reading of different charts
Visual literacy: Pattern matching, sense-making
Computer skills: For interactive projects
Language skills: Many works have plenty of text
Critical thinking: To extract insight and meaning
Multiple skills needed to be an astute reader
http://www.bloomberg.com/infographics/2014-01-16/tracking-super-bowl-ticket-prices.html
Reward > Effort (learnable) Some chart types are unfamiliar to many
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Playfair | http://infobawards.s3.amazonaws.com/SPOTLIGHT-ON-PROFITABILITY_Krisztina-Szucs.png
Everything is new, once
Many things in life need learning, don’t be lazy!
Many things in life need learning, don’t be lazy!
http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2015/02/dendrochronology-visualisation-literacy/
Learning how to read is rewarding
“To be honest once I got used to it, it was
quite easy to follow. But daunting at first.”
“Too much going on. Couldn’t see how things joined up”
Learning how to read is rewarding
Even with help, people can be confused
“Maybe a different colour scheme (e.g. light to dark) would work
better? It doesn’t make me want to explore it, it’s too complex visually.
It doesn’t go anywhere.”
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
Do I know how to read this?
GREATER MATURITY Just because you don’t immediately understand a chart doesn’t make it the wrong choice, it might reflect more your lack of exposure. SEEK AND READ ASSISTANCE How to read guides, legends, tutorials. Be prepared to learn how to read more chart types (so long as you are given the necessary assistance). STAND UP FOR YOUR OWN CONVICTIONS “I must hate pie charts because X said so”
Advice for readers
OFFER THE RIGHT LEVEL OF HELP Beware the curse of knowledge - don’t assume! More than just including scales and legends – user guides, example readings There is evidence that when people got over these hurdles, insights were unlocked. DON’T BE UNNECESSARILY SELF-RESTRICTED Don’t avoid using a seemingly complex chart type if it is the best way to show your data - respect people’s capacity to learn with your help.
Advice for creators
Time and pressure
Immediacy: What setting?
Some projects are deep, will take time
“Too much info to take in quickly.”
http://13pt.com/projects/nyt071211/
Some projects are complicated, will take time
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/23/sunday-review/an-overview-of-the-euro-crisis.html
Some projects preserve complexity…
http://io9.com/5912155/watch-hans-rosling-use-rocks-to-deliver-the-shortest-ted-talk-ever
…other projects simplify
http://i.imgur.com/u7ikyWS.jpg
Some projects exhibit creep/lack of focus
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
Enough time to extract the insights?
Enough time to translate into what it means to me?
Enough time to consume all this?
CONSIDER THE TASK PROPOSITION How big is it? How many parts? How many features? How much text? How many chart attributes to read? CLARITY > SIMPLICITY Don’t always expect to be able to get immediate insights within 10 seconds. Some subjects are inherently complex and will lose their essence if reduced.
Advice for readers
FIT FOR PURPOSE The setting of how this work will be consumed is a significant factor in determining the effectiveness of the design you create. Serve the setting as well as the audience. SHOW COURAGE AND CONVICTION Don’t overwhelm with features/functionality that create paralysis (“Too much to take in, lost interest”) especially if setting requires more immediacy. Have the conviction and discipline to leave things out, to not offer EVERY permutation.
Advice for creators
Emotions
With people, there is no perfect
With people, there is no perfect
Google search: “Marketing Infographics”
Mood, tastes, preferences, irrationalities
“I felt shocked but at the same time I found it fun.”
Emotions influence all aspects of understanding
Fun can be an important attribute of appeal
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2012/nov/05/you-decide-the-presidential-election-interactive
Respect the subject matter’s emotive quality
“I didn’t feel enthusiastic about it initially and that was probably due to the subject matter. I have children with body image
issues & work with people who have body image issues & that probably
coloured my attitude. I actually found it a little offensive because of that.”
Understanding still possible even if no ‘like’
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
How does this drive me? Am I seduced?
THERE’S NOT MUCH YOU CAN DO! The emotions we’re discussing here are natural, automatic, not entirely controllable.
Advice for readers
YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE! People are unique and bring many personal & emotional characteristics that will influence engagement without any rational anticipation. BASIC PRESENTATION CHOICES Noticeable the number of comments raised about basic lack of readability of text (through type and font properties typically being too small) Colours are generally the first design properties noticed and commented on. Use this powerful visual cue sensitively and astutely.
Advice for creators
Curiosities, wants and needs
Frustration: Not the analysis you’re interested in
“Good if you wanted to find something specific
out, but bad if you wanted a general picture”
“Maybe extending back to earlier
dates than 1986 would have been
interesting?”
Frustration: Not the analysis you’re interested in
“It wasn’t obvious what the general message was… I would have included
some more positive headlines. I would have liked a breakdown by publication
of number of negative articles.”
Haiti
Afghanistan
S. Africa
Kuwait
Vietnam
Nauru
North Korea
Tajikistan
Ethiopia
Charts show what’s interesting, not always why
Reading
Facilitating understanding
Interpreting Comprehending
Is it showing me what I want?
WHAT ANALYSIS DOES IT SHOW Explore titles, sub-headings What different charts are on offer? What data do they show and not show? What interactive options do you have to manipulate, interrogate and customise? WHAT WOULD BE REASONABLE? Is what you want to see available, feasible, of sufficient broad interest to have been included? Is there a good reason why it might not have been?
Advice for readers
YOU CAN’T PLEASE EVERYONE! Even in the apparently simplest and smallest dataset there are very rarely single narratives. There are always multiple angles, different filters and focus. This is the heart of the art of data visualisation, its not easy, there isn’t a perfect solution, it requires judgment, empathy and nous.
Advice for creators
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Subject matter and relevance
Trust and prejudice
Confidence and skills
Time and pressure
Emotions
Curiosities, wants and needs
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Human factors that affect understanding
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More information at seeingdata.org
http://ia.net/blog/learning-to-see/
Stop looking, start seeing
“Chefs are able to more clearly discern what they taste because through
constant exposure they have developed improved senses as well as vocabulary
to express and discuss their impressions.”
Oliver Reichenstein, “Learning to see”
Paraphrased from: http://ia.net/blog/learning-to-see/
Stop looking, start seeing
DATA VISUALISATION LITERACY
Andy Kirk
www.visualisingdata.com @visualisingdata