Presentation about data visualization and food, cooking, and recipes based off my Tableau public work. Presented at Fanalytics15 at the annual Tableau conference.

1. DATA VISUALIZATION+FOOD

2. Russell Spangler
I’M FANATICAL ABOUT FOOD
*Disclaimer - I take pictures of food

3. TableaU Public Profile
Whatcha Know About Bacon
Iron Viz Qualifier Contest - Story Points Finalist
The Life Of Spangler
Iron Viz Qualifier Contest - Quantified Self Finalist
How Much Food Can You Eat?
Iron Viz Qualifier Contest – Sports Finalist
Which Food is the Coolest?
Iron Viz Qualifier Contest – Social Media Finalist, Viz of the Day
Human Development Index
Iron Viz Qualifier Contest – Wikipedia Finalist, Viz of the Day, Viz of the Week
Finalist Cartagena Data Festival 2015
https://public.tableau.com/profile/russell.spangler

4. Culinary School or College
The Outcome
• Bachelor and Masters in Information
Systems
• Concentration on Business Intelligence and
Data Analytics
• Successful career in data and analytics
• Building and managing a data visualization
team using Tableau at Convergys
• Leader of Cincinnati Tableau User Group
• I did go to culinary school for a little bit
WILL WORK
FOR DATA
Please send me food,
cooking, and recipe
datasets

5. DATA
MANAGEMENT
&
SKETCHING
Mise En Place
for Data Viz
Mise En Place
[mi zɑ̃ ˈplas]
“Putting in Place” the
Cutting and preparing of
ingredients

6. LIFE IS BUSY
Full Time Job
Part Time Professor
Renovating a Victorian
House
Vacations Since #Data14
Belgium
FRANCE
BOSTON
AsheVILLE
CHICAGO
About the VIZ
• Icon menu to create a
simplified navigation menu
• Marks with the same color as
the background to create the
separation for the calendar
• Actions on the right menu
• Actions to provide details on
activities

7. About the VIZ
• Icon menu to create a
simplified navigation
• Marks with the same color
as the background to create
the separation grids
• Actions on the left side
Especially when I’m on vacation
Competitive Eaters eat a lot more
than I do
I like to take pictures of my
meals on vacation
I LIKE TO EAT
ViZ Focus
• How much food do competitive
eaters eat
• What is the equivalent amount
for an alternative food

8. INSPIRATION CAN BE EVERYWHERE
Les HALLES DE LYON - PAUL BOCUSE
Lyon, France
Symmetry: Correct or pleasing proportion of the parts of a thing

9. The Salty Pig
Boston, MA
Pig Head Mortadella
Pistachio, Nutmeg,
Clove, Orange
BARCELONA
Boston, MA
Bone Marrow
Parsley Toast
Crispy Pork Belly
Salsa Tomatillo
TRY SOMETHING
CREATIVE
AbouT the VIZ
Image converted to ASCII design
ASCII art pivoted/unpivoted to X/Y coords
Scatter plot
Don’t be scared to try something new

10. HAVE FUN AND TRY SOMETHING NEW UNKNOWN BREWERY
Mons, Belgium
Foie Gras w/ Citrus & Figs
You don’t have to always follow best practices
Or follow a recipe

11. The Analysis
Number of Instagrams
6,251 #Bacon
6,070 #Burger
1,509 #Pizza
1,249 #Burrito
CONCULSION
People on Instagram don’t know how to find great pizza
Common Hashtags
#Food
#FoodPorn
#Love
#Yum / #Yummy
#Delicious
Share YOUR THOUGHTS
Twitter, blog, local community
SHARE YOUR VIZZES
Tableau public, online portfolio
SHARE YOUR MEALS
Friends let friends taste their food

12. The Salty Pig
Boston, MA
The Salty Pig Pizza
Prosciutto
Arugula
Mustard
Pale Ale Caramel
INSTAGRAM
PIZZA
THEORY
Gratuitous pizza slide

13. FIGS
Boston, MA
Fig & Prosciutto
Crisp Rosemary Crust
Fig & Balsamic Jam
Gorgonzola
Prosciutto
Crispy Calamari
Tomato Sauce
Hot Peppers
Arugula
Crispy Calamari
Lemon Aioli
INSTAGRAM
PIZZA
THEORY
Gratuitous pizza slide

14. EATALY
Chicago, IL
Capricciosa Pizza
Mozzarella
Mushrooms
Prosciutto Cotto
Artichokes
Tomato Sauce
Olives
Basil
INSTAGRAM
PIZZA
THEORY
Gratuitous pizza slide

15. LESS IS MORE
Fonts & Colors
• Sans Serif Fonts (Arial, Helvetica)
• Larger and weighted (bolded) fonts to
display important pieces
• Color can provide insight, context, and draw
attention to important items
RussellHOUSETAVERN
Boston, MA
Chilled Lobster Tail
Saffron Lemon Aioli
B&G OySTERS
Boston, MA
Crispy Whole Branzino
Fennel and Citrus Salad
Simple colors
Yellow and red contrast
Flavors that work well
Main ingredient focus
Few ingredients
Simple colors
Gray, green and pink
Main ingredient focus
Few ingredients

16. CORe Concept
with
Expert Execution
Bar Chart
• Remove axis
• Add labels on the bars
(add a space before
the number)
• Dual axis to creative
extra layers
• Use transparency to
layer designs
• Sort values
• Use reference lines to
add additional details
LEGAL SEA FOODS
Boston, MA
Lobster Bisque
Soups are made with
common ingredients
Great soup is made
with experience

17. CORE Concept
With Complexity
LAC PASTISSERIE
Nice, France
Line Chart
• Color the points
• Try using area charts
• Dual axis to creative extra layers

18. Presentation is IMPORTANT UNKNoWN
RESTAURANT
Namur, Belgium
Shrimp Croquettes
& Salads
People are visual learners and people are visual eaters
If something doesn’t look appetizing people won’t want to try it
Spend time on presentation to create a clean design
Even though it is last, plating your dish is very important

19. Make it MEMoRABLE OR Relatable
• Track the popularity and share
via social media
• Pick topics with large
audiences
• Pick current & trending topics
• Try to make your viz relevant
A LOT WINE=
A RANDOM RESTAURANT
Nice, France (Favorite Meal)

20. PUT IT ALL
TOGETHER
About the VIZ
• Bar Charts, Text and
Shapes
• Small multiples of
countries is a single
worksheet
• Numbers above the
bars are labels while
the arrows and
numbers below is a
shape chart plotted on a
dual axis at a negative
position
• Lots of attention from an
international audience
• Lots of information in one
design
• Could be edited for other data
• Simple color pallet and fonts

21. At the end
You Should have
a Great story
To tell
My last night in Belgium my dad ordered a beer
It was a beer that inspired his beer that won the 1989 American
Homebrewer of the Year award
He proceeded to tell stories for the entire night
THE BEER
Verboden Vrucht / Fruit Defendu
THE MEAL
Steak, Chicken and Pork on a Hot Stone
THE LOCATION
La Cervoise – Mons, Belgium

22. Thank
YOU
@russellspangler
www.linkedin.com/in/russellspangler/
russellspangler@gmail.com
https://public.tableau.com/profile/russell.spangler
Nice, France
Brownie Recipe: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2006/11/blondies-for-a-blondie/