Journalism in the Age of Data

Telling Stories with Visualization and Infographics

Geoff McGhee
March 27, 2011
10 Years in Infographics and Multimedia
10 Years in Infographics and Multimedia
20-odd people in journalism,
academia, research and art
Interviews About Data Visualization
datajournalism.stanford.edu
Video Documentary
Podcast Available on iTunes
Main Points
Excitement
I think that theres a sense that
data is something more like a
medium, something that can be used
to tell stories, and to do all of the things
that a medium can do, to delight and
inspire...
But...
Communication Medium?
How are journalists using data vis?
Amanda studied stats in college and
she's brought both a little bit more of a
focus on data to the department and also
just sort of an amazing ability to
process data.
New Players
We have some open positions right now,
and I would love for those positions to be
geared towards somebody that had that
skill set: Heres what the data is and
the story is, heres how wed want to
shape the story based on this data.
Re-tooling
Re-tooling
We've changed the focus of our team
to concentrate more on database
journalism.
Skepticism
You can do beautiful things with
computers and lots of data that look
very, very nice, and are almost
completely incomprehensible.
We are very interested in how
visualizations are being taken up in mass
media, particularly in journalism, so we
simply collected as many examples of
that as we could.
Data Story
Formats
Genre
Visualization Description Source M
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Architecture and Justice (Brooklyn Crime Blocks) Columbia Univ. SIDL + - - - - - - + + + - - - + + - + - - + +
John Snows Chart of Deaths from Cholera Edward Tufte + - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - -
Politicians Abuse their Free-mailing Privileges before Elect Edward Tufte + - - - - - - - - - + - - - + + - - +
Football Drawings Visual Complexity + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - -
Pedestrians Crossing the Street Visual Complexity + - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - - -
The Climate Agenda Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - + - - + - - - + + - + - + + + + + - - + - + - - + -
When Did Your County's Jobs Disappear? Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + + - + - + - - + -
Acadametrics House Price Index Financial Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + - - - + - - - - + -
Banks Earnings: How Compensation Relates to Performa Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + - - + + + + - - + - - - - + -
Deadly Offensive: Taliban Attacks in Pakistan Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + + - + - + -
GDP Moves by Sector Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - - - - - - - + -
UK Economic Data Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - + -
Budget 2010: Reaction from around the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
Formula One 2010: Driver's Rankings Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Lighting Up Hadrian's Wall Guardian - + - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - - - + -
Mapping Hydropower Hotspots across the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - + - + - + + - + + - - + + - + - - -
Moscow Metro Bombs: interactive map Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - + - - -
The World Economy Turns the Corner Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + - - - - - -
Minnesota Employment Explorer Minnesota Public Radio - + - - - - - - - - - + + - + - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + + + - - + -
A Map of Olympic Medals New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + + + + - - - - - -
All of Inflation's Little Parts New York Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - + - - - - + + - + - + + - + - - - + + - - - + -
Paths to the Top of the Home Run Charts New York Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - + - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
The Ebb and Flow of Movies: Box Office Receipts 1986 - New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - + - - - - + - + + - + + - - + + - - - - -
The Jobless Rate for People Like You New York Times - + - - - - - - + - + - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Advertisement: Bus United Technology - + - - - - - - - - + - - + + - + - + -
Advertisement: Helicopter United Technology - + - - - - - - - - + - - + + - + - + -
Analyzing Obama's Schedule Washington Post - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + + - + - - - - - - - + -
Oscars 2010: The Best Picture Nominees Guardian - - + - - - - + + - + - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
The Consumer and Retail Price Indices since 2006 Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + - + + - + + - - + + + + - + -
UK Voting Intentions Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + - + + + + + - - + + - + - + -
Comparison of Bear Markets New York Times - - + - - - - - + + - - + - + - - - - + - + + - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
Faces of the Dead New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - + + + - - - + -
How Americans Spend Their Day New York Times - - + - - - - + - - - - + - + - - - - - - + + - + - + + + - + - + + + + - - - -
Michelle Obama's Family Tree New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + + + + - + + + + + + + -
NetFlix Rentals New York Times - - + - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + + + - - - - -
Steroids or Not, the Pursuit is On New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - + + + - - + + - + + - -
Vancouver's Olympic Venue New York Times - - + - - - - + - - - + + - + - + - + + - + + - + - + + + - + - - + + - - - - -
On the Map: Five Major North Korean Prison Camps Washington Post - - + - - - - + - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - - + - - + - + -
Spheres of Influence: The Bush Campaign Pioneers Washington Post - - + - - - - + - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - - + - + + + + - - + -
A Visual Guide to the Financial Crisis Flowing Data - - - + - - - - - - - - + + + - - - - -
Economic Meltdown of 2008-2009 Flowing Data - - - + - - - - - - - - + + + - + - - -
Where Did All the Money Go? Flowing Data - - - + - - - + - - - - - + + + - + + - -
Life Cycle of a Beetle through a Year Edward Tufte - - - - + - - + + + - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - -
McCloud's Making Comics Scott McCloud - - - - + - - + - - + + + + + + + + - - + + + + + + + +
Afghanistan: Behind the Front Line Financial Times - - - - - + - + + + + - + - + - - + - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - + + - - - + -
Toyota Timeline: A Company History Financial Times - - - - - + - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - + - - - -
Gapminder Human Development Gapminder - - - - - + - + - + + + + - + - + + - + - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + - +
Earthquakes: Why They Happen Guardian - - - - - + - + - - - + + - + - + + - - - + + - - + + + + + + - + + + - + + + -
Iran's Nuclear Programme Guardian - - - - - + - + - - - + + - + - + + - + - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + + -
Shaun White's Double McTwist Guardian - - - - - + - - + + - - + + - - - + - - - + - - - + - - + + - - - + + - + - - -
Toyota's Stick Accelerator Problem Guardian - - - - - + - - + - - + + - + - + + - - - + + - - + + - + + + - + + + - + - - -
Alpine Skiing, From Technical Turns to Tucks and Speed New York Times - - - - - + - + - + + - + - - - - + - - - - + - - + - - + + - - - + + - - + + -
Budget Forecasts vs. Reality New York Times - - - - - + - + + + + - + - + - - - - - - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + + -
How the Government Dealt with Past Recessions New York Times - - - - - + - - + + - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - + + + - + - - + + + + + + - -
Mac Orientation Video Apple - - - - - - + + - - - + + - + - + + - + + + + - - + - - - + - - +
Delta Airplane Safety Video Delta - - - - - - + + - - - + + + - - + + - + + + - - - + - - - + + - +
The Story of Stuff Story of Stuff Project - - - - - - + + + - + - + + + + - + - - - + + - - + + + + + +
Virgin America Airplane Safety Video Virgin America - - - - - - + - - - - + + + + + + + + + + - + - - + - - - + + - -
Messaging Interactivity
Narrative Structure Visual Narrative
Ordering Transition Guidance Highlighting Visual Structuring
1
2 3
4
Fig. 7. Design space analysis of narrative visualization. Columns indicate recurring design elements and selected regions highlight patterns in the data. Region (1) shows clusters of ordering
strategies that correspond to distinct genres of visual narration. Region (2) highlights the consistency of interactive designs used by visualizations. Region (3) shows the under-utilization of strategies
to engage the user in the interactive functionality. Region (4) shows the under-utilization of common storytelling techniques across narrative visualizations.
Segal and Heer, 2010
Analysis of
Vis in Media
Visualization Description Source M
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Architecture and Justice (Brooklyn Crime Blocks) Columbia Univ. SIDL + - - - - - - +
John Snows Chart of Deaths from Cholera Edward Tufte + - - - - - -
Politicians Abuse their Free-mailing Privileges before Elect Edward Tufte + - - - - - -
Football Drawings Visual Complexity + - - - - - -
Pedestrians Crossing the Street Visual Complexity + - - - - - -
The Climate Agenda Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - + - - + - - - + + - + -
When Did Your County's Jobs Disappear? Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + -
Acadametrics House Price Index Financial Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + -
Banks Earnings: How Compensation Relates to Performa Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + - -
Deadly Offensive: Taliban Attacks in Pakistan Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + + - + - + -
GDP Moves by Sector Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + -
UK Economic Data Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - + -
Budget 2010: Reaction from around the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
Formula One 2010: Driver's Rankings Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Lighting Up Hadrian's Wall Guardian - + - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - - - + -
Mapping Hydropower Hotspots across the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - + - + - + + - + + - - + + - + - - -
Moscow Metro Bombs: interactive map Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - + - - -
The World Economy Turns the Corner Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + - - - - - -
Minnesota Employment Explorer Minnesota Public Radio - + - - - - - - - - - + + - + - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + + + - - + -
A Map of Olympic Medals New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + -
All of Inflation's Little Parts New York Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - + - - - - + + - + - + + - + - - - + + - - - + -
Paths to the Top of the Home Run Charts New York Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - + - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
The Ebb and Flow of Movies: Box Office Receipts 1986 - New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - + - - - - + - + + - + + - - + + - - - - -
The Jobless Rate for People Like You New York Times - + - - - - - - + - + - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Advertisement: Bus United Technology - + - - - - -
Advertisement: Helicopter United Technology - + - - - - -
Analyzing Obama's Schedule Washington Post - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + + - + - - - - - - - + -
Oscars 2010: The Best Picture Nominees Guardian - - + - - - - + + - + - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
The Consumer and Retail Price Indices since 2006 Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + - + + - + + - -
UK Voting Intentions Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + -
Comparison of Bear Markets New York Times - - + - - - - - + + - - + - + - - - - + - + + - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
Faces of the Dead New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + -
Analysis of
Vis in Media
Segal and Heer, 2010
vis.stanford.edu/papers/narrative
Uses of Visualization
Recording Exploration and
Analysis
Communication
Uses of Visualization
Edweard Muybri dge, 1878
Recording
Uses of Visualization
Exploration and Analysis
Uses of Visualization
Communication Communication
San Francisco Cabspotting, Stamen Design, (2006)
Visualization as Mirror
http://cabspotti ng.org/cl i ent.html
Visualizing New Information
San Francisco Cabspotting, Stamen Design, (2006)
Visualization as Mirror
http://cabspotti ng.org/cl i ent.html
Visualizing New Information
Tourists vs. Locals, Eric Fischer, (2010)
http://www.fl i ckr.com/photos/wal ki ngsf/sets/72157624209158632/
Visualization as Mirror
Visualizing New Information
Flickr Flow, Fernanda Vigas and Martin Wattenberg (2009)
http://hi nt.fm/proj ects/fl i ckr/
Visualization as Remix Visualization as Mirror
Visualizing New Information
!"#$%&"'&()*)&+,%-)#,.)*,"/
Remix:
The Familiar... Through a New Lens
/V^PUUV]H[PVUPUNYHWOPJKPZWSH`
JHUJOHUNLOV^^L\UKLYZ[HUK
VYL_WLYPLUJLPUMVYTH[PVU
5V^0ZLLP[
Here and There, Berg Design (2009)
http://bergl ondon.com/proj ects/hat/
Visualization as Remix
Remixes: New Ways of Seeing
If San Francisco Crime Was Elevation, Doug McCune (2010)
http://dougmccune.com/bl og/2010/06/05/i f-san-franci sco-cri me-was-el evati on/
Visualization as Remix
Remixes: New Ways of Seeing
River Maps, Daniel Huffman (2011)
http://somethi ngaboutmaps.wordpress.com/ri ver-maps/
Visualization as Remix
Remixes: New Ways of Seeing
Roles of Data Visualization
Investigation or Advocacy
=PZ\HSPaH[PVU\ZLKHZIV[OHU
HUHS`[PJHSHUKJVTT\UPJH[PVU[VVS
<ZLKH[HTPUPUNHUKHUHS`ZPZ[V
\UJV]LYPTWVY[HU[Z[VYPLZ
7LYZ\HZP]LULZZVMNYHWOPJZ
The Washington Post (2010)
http://proj ects.washi ngtonpost.com/top-secret-ameri ca/map/
Visualization for Investigation and Advocacy Visualization for Investigation or Advocacy
What They Know, The Wall Street Journal (2010)
http://bl ogs.wsj .com/wtk/
Visualization for Investigation and Advocacy Visualization for Investigation or Advocacy
The New York Times (2010)
http://www.nyti mes.com/i nteracti ve/2010/07/11/nyregi on/20100711-stop-and-fri sk.html
Visualization for Investigation and Advocacy Visualization for Investigation or Advocacy
The Sunlight Foundation
http://i nfl uenceexpl orer.com/organi zati on/att-i nc/d473e580c5684a658b754eb97566cb05?cycl e=2010v
Visualization for Investigation and Advocacy Visualization for Investigation or Advocacy
SourceMap, MIT (2009)
http://www.sourcemap.org/obj ect/tesl a-roadster
Visualization for Investigation and Advocacy Visualization for Investigation or Advocacy
Florence Nightingale, 1858
Free and Web-Based Applications
Tableau Public
http://www.tableausoftware.com/public
Price: Free
Pros: Great design
Supports many chart forms
Interactive and searchable
Combine charts in single
Information dashboard
Cons: Windows-only
Your data is public
Slow performance
Getting Started with Visualization
Tableau Public
Free and Web-Based Applications
Gapminder Desktop
http://www.gapminder.org/desktop
:OV^HUPTH[LKZJH[[LYWSV[Z
of world statistics
0UJS\KLZ^VYSKZ[H[PZ[PJHSKH[HZL[Z
)VVRTHYRNYHWOZ[H[LZ
>VYRZVMMSPUL
Getting Started with Visualization
Free and Web-Based Applications
IBM ManyEyes
http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com
Pros: Easy as pie
Many different chart forms
Interactivity
Bring your own data, or
use existing data set
Cons: Java applets are slow, clunky
Little design control

Getting Started with Visualization
Free and Web-Based Applications
Google Documents
http://docs.google.com
Oreate spreadsheet, |nsert chart
Share data set and embed chart
Severa| bas|c chart|ng forms
Oan share data |n d|fferent formats
Getting Started with Visualization
Sources of Public Data
Knight Digital Media Center
List of Statistical Databases
http://goo.gl/Oq6yt
Oensus and Demograph|cs
Or|me and Or|m|na| Just|ce
Drugs
Econom|cs and Bus|ness
Educat|on
Emp|oyment and |abor
Env|ronment
Food and Agr|cu|ture...
Getting Started with Visualization
Sources of Public Data
Google Public Data Explorer
http://www.google.com/publicdata/directory
Browse se|ected data sets and
app|y v|sua||zat|ons, f||ter and sort
||nks to or|g|na| data sources
Getting Started with Visualization
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Architecture and Justice (Brooklyn Crime Blocks) Columbia Univ. SIDL + - - - - - - + + + - - - + + - + - - + +
John Snows Chart of Deaths from Cholera Edward Tufte + - - - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - -
Politicians Abuse their Free-mailing Privileges before Elect Edward Tufte + - - - - - - - - - + - - - + + - - +
Football Drawings Visual Complexity + - - - - - - - - - + - - - - - - - -
Pedestrians Crossing the Street Visual Complexity + - - - - - - - + - + - - - - - - - -
The Climate Agenda Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - + - - + - - - + + - + - + + + + + - - + - + - - + -
When Did Your County's Jobs Disappear? Washington Post + - - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + + - + - + - - + -
Acadametrics House Price Index Financial Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + - - - + - - - - + -
Banks Earnings: How Compensation Relates to Performa Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + - - + + + + - - + - - - - + -
Deadly Offensive: Taliban Attacks in Pakistan Financial Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + + - + - + -
GDP Moves by Sector Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - - - - - - - + -
UK Economic Data Financial Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - + -
Budget 2010: Reaction from around the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
Formula One 2010: Driver's Rankings Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Lighting Up Hadrian's Wall Guardian - + - - - - - + - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - - - + -
Mapping Hydropower Hotspots across the UK Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - + - + - + + - + + - - + + - + - - -
Moscow Metro Bombs: interactive map Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - - + - + + - - + + - + - - -
The World Economy Turns the Corner Guardian - + - - - - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + - - - - - -
Minnesota Employment Explorer Minnesota Public Radio - + - - - - - - - - - + + - + - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + + + - - + -
A Map of Olympic Medals New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + + + + - - - - - -
All of Inflation's Little Parts New York Times - + - - - - - + + - - - + - - - + - - - - + + - + - + + - + - - - + + - - - + -
Paths to the Top of the Home Run Charts New York Times - + - - - - - - + - - - + - + - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
The Ebb and Flow of Movies: Box Office Receipts 1986 - New York Times - + - - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - + - - - - + - + + - + + - - + + - - - - -
The Jobless Rate for People Like You New York Times - + - - - - - - + - + - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + - + + - - + - - - - - -
Advertisement: Bus United Technology - + - - - - - - - - + - - + + - + - + -
Advertisement: Helicopter United Technology - + - - - - - - - - + - - + + - + - + -
Analyzing Obama's Schedule Washington Post - + - - - - - - - + - - + - - - - + - - - - - - + - + + + - + - - - - - - - + -
Oscars 2010: The Best Picture Nominees Guardian - - + - - - - + + - + - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - - + + - + - - -
The Consumer and Retail Price Indices since 2006 Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + - + + - + + - - + + + + - + -
UK Voting Intentions Guardian - - + - - - - + + + - - + - + - - - - - - + - - + - + + + + + - - + + - + - + -
Comparison of Bear Markets New York Times - - + - - - - - + + - - + - + - - - - + - + + - + - + + - + + - + + + - - - - -
Faces of the Dead New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - + + + - - - + -
How Americans Spend Their Day New York Times - - + - - - - + - - - - + - + - - - - - - + + - + - + + + - + - + + + + - - - -
Michelle Obama's Family Tree New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - - + - - - - - - - - + + - + - + + + + + - + + + + + + + -
NetFlix Rentals New York Times - - + - - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + - + - + + + - - - - -
Steroids or Not, the Pursuit is On New York Times - - + - - - - - + - - + + + - - + + - + + - -
Vancouver's Olympic Venue New York Times - - + - - - - + - - - + + - + - + - + + - + + - + - + + + - + - - + + - - - - -
On the Map: Five Major North Korean Prison Camps Washington Post - - + - - - - + - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + + + + - - + - - + - + -
Spheres of Influence: The Bush Campaign Pioneers Washington Post - - + - - - - + - - - + + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - - + - + + + + - - + -
A Visual Guide to the Financial Crisis Flowing Data - - - + - - - - - - - - + + + - - - - -
Economic Meltdown of 2008-2009 Flowing Data - - - + - - - - - - - - + + + - + - - -
Where Did All the Money Go? Flowing Data - - - + - - - + - - - - - + + + - + + - -
Life Cycle of a Beetle through a Year Edward Tufte - - - - + - - + + + - - - - + + - - + - - - - - - -
McCloud's Making Comics Scott McCloud - - - - + - - + - - + + + + + + + + - - + + + + + + + +
Afghanistan: Behind the Front Line Financial Times - - - - - + - + + + + - + - + - - + - - - - - - - + - + + - + - - + + - - - + -
Toyota Timeline: A Company History Financial Times - - - - - + - - + + - - + - - - - - - - - - - - + - + + - + + - - + - + - - - -
Gapminder Human Development Gapminder - - - - - + - + - + + + + - + - + + - + - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + - +
Earthquakes: Why They Happen Guardian - - - - - + - + - - - + + - + - + + - - - + + - - + + + + + + - + + + - + + + -
Iran's Nuclear Programme Guardian - - - - - + - + - - - + + - + - + + - + - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + + -
Shaun White's Double McTwist Guardian - - - - - + - - + + - - + + - - - + - - - + - - - + - - + + - - - + + - + - - -
Toyota's Stick Accelerator Problem Guardian - - - - - + - - + - - + + - + - + + - - - + + - - + + - + + + - + + + - + - - -
Alpine Skiing, From Technical Turns to Tucks and Speed New York Times - - - - - + - + - + + - + - - - - + - - - - + - - + - - + + - - - + + - - + + -
Budget Forecasts vs. Reality New York Times - - - - - + - + + + + - + - + - - - - - - + + - - + + + + + + + + + + - + + + -
How the Government Dealt with Past Recessions New York Times - - - - - + - - + + - - + - - + - - - - - - - - - + + + - + - - + + + + + + - -
Mac Orientation Video Apple - - - - - - + + - - - + + - + - + + - + + + + - - + - - - + - - +
Delta Airplane Safety Video Delta - - - - - - + + - - - + + + - - + + - + + + - - - + - - - + + - +
The Story of Stuff Story of Stuff Project - - - - - - + + + - + - + + + + - + - - - + + - - + + + + + +
Virgin America Airplane Safety Video Virgin America - - - - - - + - - - - + + + + + + + + + + - + - - + - - - + + - -
Messaging Interactivity
Narrative Structure Visual Narrative
Ordering Transition Guidance Highlighting Visual Structuring
1
2 3
4
Fig. 7. Design space analysis of narrative visualization. Columns indicate recurring design elements and selected regions highlight patterns in the data. Region (1) shows clusters of ordering
strategies that correspond to distinct genres of visual narration. Region (2) highlights the consistency of interactive designs used by visualizations. Region (3) shows the under-utilization of strategies
to engage the user in the interactive functionality. Region (4) shows the under-utilization of common storytelling techniques across narrative visualizations.
Analysis of
Vis in Media
Identify Common Narrative Formats
Descriptive, Not Prescriptive
Sources of Inspiration:
Comic Books
Movies
Video Games
The Science Fair Poster
Using Space to Lay Out Regions; Directional Reading
The Martini Glass
Linear Narrative Followed by Individual Exploration
The Martini Glass
Linear Narrative Followed by Individual Exploration
First read: narrative
The Martini Glass
Linear Narrative Followed by Individual Exploration
First read: narrative
Second read: reference
The Data Slide Show
Linear Narrative With Interaction Within Each Frame
The Data Slide Show
Linear Narrative With Interaction Within Each Frame
Search All NYTimes.com

Public workers make more
Surveys by the Bureau of Economic
Analysis show that public workers
annual compensation salary plus
benefits is higher on average than
private sector workers, and they suggest
that the gap is growing.
especially when figured per hour
of work.
Public workers also put in significantly
fewer hours per week. According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, their
compensation per hour is much
higher.
Most of the advantage is in benefits.
They cost state and local governments
$14 an hour on average, about 70
percent more than private employers
pay for their workers.
But comparisons are tricky
Economists point out that government
work tends to be in highly skilled
categories, so it is misleading to
compare the groups as a whole.
Published: March 6, 2011
Are State and Local Government Employees Paid Too Much?
Its not an easy question to answer for a number of reasons. Heres a primer on the issue.
Welcome, gmcghee Log Out Help TimesPeople HOME PAGE TODAY'S PAPER VIDEO MOST POPULAR TIMES TOPICS
U.S.
WORLD U.S. N.Y. / REGION BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE HEALTH SPORTS OPINION ARTS STYLE TRAVEL JOBS REAL ESTATE AUTOS
POLITICS EDUCATION BAY AREA CHICAGO TEXAS
The Drill-Down Story
Wide-Angle View; Presents Links to Selected Closer Views
The Drill-Down Story
Wide-Angle View; Presents Links to Selected Closer Views
Videographics
Linear Narratives Using Motion Graphics, Voiceover
Videographics
Could be as simple as a screencast
Chapters
Part 1: Introduction
Meet some of the researchers who have helped popularize data visualization for
art and communication.
Part 2: Data Visualization in Journalism
How data reporting and presentation are starting to change the face of
newsrooms.
Part 3: Telling Data Stories
How journalists are adapting traditional narrative formats to data visualization.
Part 4: A New Era in Infographics
Data vis whizzes are the new rock stars in a eld where people have been
making charts for over 200 years.
Part 5: Life as a Data Stream
Using data as an expressive medium, and experiencing live events through
information streams.
Part 6: Exploring Data
The importance of data analysis to good journalism.
Part 7: Technologies and Tools
A new generation of web browsers is changing the game for online visualization
and interactive graphics. A look at emerging technologies and tools.
Part 8: First Steps
New tools, tutorials and websites about visualization are appearing all the time.
A look at where to get started.
Chapters
Reception
Minimal promotion after initial
press release by fellowship (one
of 20 projects announced)
Beneted from viral promotion by
friends and colleagues. Thanks
for the Tweets!
Mentions on infographics and
data journalism blogs and sites
About 50,000 unique visitors
since September on Flash site
Another 60,000+ views on Vimeo
last time I checked
Condensed version aired by
3Sat television, Germany
Wider Story
Data journalism: What it is
Journalists have always worked with data
We've analysed council tax rates, changes brought about by Budget
measures, and all sorts of statistics thrown at us by government,
business, unions, pressure groups and other organisations.
Our goal has always been to find the stories in the data - and it still is.
But how we work with data is being revolutionised because of the possibilities that using
computers to make sense of huge data sets opens up.
Journalist and information architect Mirko Lorenz, quoted in Data-driven Journalism, has
this explanation of what data journalism is: Today data-driven journalism can be defined
as a workflow, where data is the basis for analysis, visualisation and most importantly
storytelling.
"With cloud computing, powerful PCs on the desktop and high bandwidth, we all have
the potential to use technology to filter and process data that would have been a
sensation just 15, 10, maybe even five years ago.
Heres his visualisation of how things have changed, reproduced from a pdf report on the
Data-driven Journalism conference, which you can download here.
You can see from this graphic that there is filtering going on. As in more traditional
modes of journalism, our eye on a story, our sifting of the facts and separating them from
the falsities, are still vital. And we can sift from facts that are easily available to us, and
others that are not the not-so-open data in the graphic.
Adam Westbrook, also quoted in Data-driven Journalism, makes clear that working with
data is a very traditional journalistic activity:
It is journalism in its truest essence: uncovering and mining through information the
public do not have enough time to do themselves, interrogating it, and making sense of it
before sharing it with the audience.
Mirko Lorenz has a second graphic to illustrate that process:
Masterclasses
Masterclass 20: Getting started
in data journalism
Data journalism: What it is
Data journalism: What it can
achieve
Data journalism: How to do it
Data journalism: How The
Guardian does it
Data journalism: Tools and data
sources
How to, project 4: Tableau
How to, project 5: ScraperWiki
Masterclass 19: Improve your
video storytelling
Masterclass 18: Drupal website
building for non-coders
Masterclass 17: A guide to
hyperlocal
Masterclass 16: Smartphone
apps for non-coders
Masterclass 15: Lawessential
update
Masterclass 14: iPhone for
Journalism
Masterclass 13: Howto get your
first job
Masterclass 12: Howto build
your own job
Masterclass 11: Going Mobile
Masterclass 8: Search (and
everything else) is going social
Masterclass 6: Howto master
Facebook and Twitter
Masterclass 5: Howto win a
commission
Masterclass 2: Web 3.0 and
Social Media
Author's Blog
Andy publishes a blog with regular news
and views on Journalism.
Find out more
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Thanks!
gmcghee@stanford.edu