Data Viz Today: Your Look Behind-the-scenes Of Today's Best Data Visualizations

It’s no secret that some charts lie. You might be thinking that only a subset of people who maliciously create a chart to serve their interests are guilty of this, but the truth is, there are many ways in which a chart can lie.  You can make a mistake in your design, or use data that’s insufficient, or make conclusions that aren’t accurate. I’m guilty of this, and guess what… so is Alberto Cairo! He wrote a whole book on How Charts Lie based on his experience creating and reading charts. In this episode, I finally got to ask Alberto’s opinion on some burning questions that I have, like how he personally reads charts to assess their quality, how he’d structure a graphics team today to make sure they create quality graphics, and where he thinks we’ll be fighting misinformation in the coming years. Most importantly, he explains why we shouldn’t throw up our hands and give up on charts even when some mislead us.   Show Notes Alberto's book How Charts Lie Follow Alberto on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitte

Having a data viz mentor is a great resource! BUT... One person doesn't need to be everything to you. Maybe building a Board of Directors could be more helpful. I've built a virtual one that has seats for those who inspire me with - Creativity - Technical Skills - Communication - Introspectiveness - Fellow Data Viz Nerdery In this episode, I talk about who I've chosen for my DVBOD ;) and how I plan to keep in touch with what they're doing virtually. My calendly page :) My newsletter

Are you struggling with putting together an effective portfolio? I find it hard to know if I'm using my time efficiently. What do I need to include? When is it enough?!? Luckily, Dillon Winspear is here to help. He's reviewed hundreds of portfolios as a Senior UX Lead at Domo, and I asked for his top tips for building a portfolio. Listen in and learn how to impress your hiring manager even if you only have 10 minutes to spare!   Show notes Subscribe to Dillon’s podcast Designed Today Follow Dillon Winspear on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

***BONUS EPISODE! WOOHOO!*** I've been using a new topic sentence formula to help me gain clarity around my data visualizations, and I wanted to share it with you! I hope it's helpful. Let me know if you use something like this too. :)

Visualization isn't always about revealing the patterns in our data. Sometimes it can be used to bring people together. This featured viz is a project by Amy Cesal and her now-husband Zander Furnas that they created for their wedding to connect their guests to them and each other. In this episode, we'll hear how this project was created, what they’d do differently in retrospect, and what specific questions you need to ask yourself before you start designing data viz to connect people. Show Notes Amy and Zander's Medium article all about the project   Follow Amy Cesal and Zander Furnas on Twitter Follow VizTip Correspondent Katherine Mello on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

Data Literacy is on everyone’s mind right now, but it always seemed like a nebulous topic to me. What is it exactly? How can you tell how literate you are? More importantly, how do you improve?! In this episode, we’ll learn why you need to assess yourself, no matter how literate you are, and how to identify the next step you need to take to improve on your weak spots today. Show Notes 17 Key Traits of Data Literacy PDF Data Literacy Assessment Dashboard Follow Ben Jones on Twitter Follow VizTip Correspondent Katherine Mello on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

Every day, events are happening and people are moving through time making decisions. How do we visualize that? How do we visualize that for hundreds of people in a way that still makes sense? Even more challenging, how do we humanize that visualization? In this episode, we’ll learn how Sahil Chinoy and Jessia Ma from the New York Times solved this problem by combing hundreds of paths into a narrative chart. Show Notes Follow Sahil and Jessia on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

Can we combine explanatory and exploratory data viz? That's just what Duncan Clark and his team over at Flourish are trying to accomplish by giving everyone the ability to create a "Talkie." In this episode, find out what it is and how to create an effective one. Bonus: Duncan shares the one thing that would impress him in a data viz portfolio! Show Notes Follow Duncan and Flourish on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

Are you terrified of color? Me too! :) Sometimes there are just too many choices. So I’m going on a color diet! What's a color diet? Well, for me, it means to be more conscious about how I use color in my visualizations to make sure that I’m using color to solve a problem. In this episode, we’ll talk about how a color diet can improve your work, plus a few tips on how to get the most out of the few colors that you do use. Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Sign up for my weekly newsletter!

How can you add more information to your flow charts? Incorporate small multiples! In this episode, we learn about Chris DeMartini's data visualization that brings together small multiples and a flow chart (an NBA bracket) to add context to the flow. Find out how he created it, and how this technique can be applied elsewhere! Show Notes Chris DeMartini's blog posts Follow Chris on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

I’ve been on a mission to improve my design abilities, and there are three design tweaks that I’ve found to be really effective in making my visualizations look more professional. In this episode, I share these three tips that pack a punch! Show notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Join my weekly newsletter Resources page Courses

Can you write your way to data viz success? It might be hard to see how writing could improve your visualizations but in this episode, I'll lay out 3 compelling reasons WHY you need to start writing today. Plus, I'll share easy 3 steps to get you started. This episode is inspired by the creative passion project Market Cafe Magazine that's created and independently published by Tiziana Alocci and Piero Zagami. Listen to what it takes to self-publish a data viz magazine! Show Notes Market Cafe Magazine Website Sign up for my weekly newsletter! :) Follow Market Cafe Mag on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

What a year… I was honored to join Enrico Bertini and Moritz Stefaner on their Data Stories podcast along with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and Jon Schwabish to discuss our highlights from the year and what we hope to see in 2019. This is a re-broadcast of that amazing episode. I also added an intro with some thoughts on my 2019 data viz goals and ideas on how you can tackle your own. I’d love to know what yours are! Here’s to another year filled with data viz projects, collaborations & learning… Feel free to download the PDF that I used for my 2019 Data Viz Goalsetting in the show notes below. Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter!

I recently caught wind of a forthcoming data viz book all about the craft of being a data storyteller called Info We Trust by RJ Andrews, and I wanted to know all about it! So I hopped on the phone with RJ and got the scoop on how he cleverly structures his days to be the most creative data storyteller and author that he can be, plus he shared his essential components to being consistently creative, even when faced with a limited toolset or under a deadline. I hope you enjoy our chat, and you can pre-order his book (due out January 2019) here! Show Notes RJ's Website Follow RJ on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

Have you ever pushed the boundaries of visualization? Did you receive any push-back? Do you want to experiment more with new chart types, but you’re not sure where to start or maybe you’re worried about people’s reactions? In this episode, we’ll hear how Richie Lionell created his thought-provoking data viz, how he handled criticism gracefully, and how you can get started creating something new in spite of potential negative feedback. Show Notes Senator Voting Patterns viz Sign up for my weekly newsletter! :) Follow Richie Lionell on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

What should you do when you plot your data points and realize they're all on top of each other?? I recently learned that this is called "overplotting" and in this episode, I'll offer 3 techniques to help you handle this problem so you can get back to analyzing & visualizing! Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Check out my Adobe Illustrator for Data Viz course!

When's the last time you saw a box plot? How about the last time you created one?! It's been a long time for me, but this week's featured data visualization by Eric William Lin has convinced me to reconsider using this often clinical chart type as a beautiful and powerful way to tell a story. In this episode, we'll hear how Eric built his Kantar IIB Shortlisted viz, plus a few suggestions for how and when YOU could try a box plot!  Show Notes Check out my Adobe Illustrator course!   Eric's Viz VOTE for Eric's viz --> Kantar's IIB Awards! Follow Eric on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

How can you consistently generate interesting visual story ideas from your data set? I’ve been on a quest to find a process for this, and I recently found guidance in a book for authors who are trying to get their non-fiction short stories published by editors. I used what I learned to create a worksheet that brings me from a basic stat to eight story ideas! In this episode, you’ll learn about the reasoning behind it and hear it in action! Show Notes ^Download the worksheet in the show notes! :) NEW COURSE: Design Your First Visualization in Adobe Illustrator in Under 30 Minutes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

How can you add interaction to make your story more impactful and memorable? In this episode, host Alli Torban explores specific interaction techniques that you can try in your visualizations to more effectively inform your reader. Featured data visualization project by Ludovic Tavernier perfectly shows how handing over the power to your reader can create an engaging experience. Check out my Adobe Illustrator course! Show Notes Ludovic's Viz Follow Ludovic on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter

When is it beneficial to visualize your data in 3D? We know that people love the “cool” factor of 3D, but I think most people know to avoid it now. But in which cases could it be useful in understanding your data? In this episode, host Alli Torban explores the pros and cons of 3D viz. Featured data visualization project by Ryan Baumann shows a beautiful way to make custom 3D visualizations of spatial athletic data. Show Notes Ryan's Athlete Data Viz Site Follow Ryan Baumann on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Sign up for the Data Viz Today Newsletter!