Presentation to the 2016 NC Network of Grantmakers annual conference.

1. From Useless Numbers to
Meaningful Stories:
An Intro to Data Visualization
Heather Yandow
heather@thirdspacestudio.com

2. 1. Find a partner
2. Introduce yourself
and your work
3. Share one thing you
want to get out of
today

3. “The goal is to turn data into
information, and information
into insight.”
Carly Fiorina

4. Four Types of Data
From NTEN’s 2012 State of Nonprofit Data Report

5. Data Visualization Has Two Purposes

6. • Start with a question
• Find the data that might
help you answer it
• Make sense of the data
Exploration

7. “It is a capital mistake to
theorize before one has
the data.”
Arthur Conan Doyle

8. • Who are you
communicating with?
• What do they need to
know?
• How might you
communicate that with
them?
Explanation

9. From Beth Kanter’s blog: http://www.bethkanter.org/data-viz-2/

12. Google Chart Gallery
developers.google.com/chart/interactive/docs/gallery

13. Storytelling With Data’s Four Rules
www.storytellingwithdata.com
1. Don’t ever lie.
2. The best visual is the one that is easiest for
your audience to understand.
3. Don’t use 3-D charts or pie charts.

15. Storytelling With Data’s Four Rules
www.storytellingwithdata.com
1. Don’t ever lie.
2. The best visual is the one that is easiest for
your audience to understand.
3. Don’t use 3-D charts or pie charts.
4. Reduce clutter.
Heather’s bonus rule: Make your point clear!

17. Question: How has the community
weathered tough economic times?

24. Data Makeover from Storytelling with Data

25. Data Makeover from Storytelling with Data

26. Simple Data Dashboards
From http://www.blueavocado.org/content/nonprofit-dashboard-and-signal-light-boards

27. More Complex Data Dashboards

28. Infographics

31. Accessible
Graphic
Design
http://webaim.org/resources/designers/#infographic
http://rgd-accessibledesign.com/resources/

32. Foundations and Data
Visualization

33. http://trianglecf.org/2015annualreport/

34. http://files.www.nccommunityfoundation.org/new-newsworthy/annual-report-coming-soon-to-a-mailbox-near-you/NCCF_AR-20

35. http://caseygrants.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2013-Impact-Assessment-Report.pdf

36. https://www.mcknight.org/about-us/2014-year-at-a-glance

37. http://knightfoundation.org/publications/first-amendment-future-2014-survey

38. http://www.youthtruthsurvey.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/YouthTruth-Learning-From-
Student-Voice-College-and-Career-Readiness-2016.pdf

39. Infogr.am

40. Pictochart

41. Easel.ly

42. Additional Resources
• Storytelling with Data: storytellingwithdata.com
• Ann K. Emery’s Chart Choosing Tool: annkemery.com/essentials
• Beth Kanter’s Data Viz Tools and Tips: www.bethkanter.org/data-
viz
• DailyTekk’s 100 Tools and Resources:
hdailytekk.com/2012/02/27/over-100-incredible-infographic-tools-
and-resources
• Tableau’s Guidebook: get.tableau.com/asset/10-tips-to-create-
useful-beautiful-visualizations.html
• Producing Quality Graphics by Triangle AMA:
www.triangleama.org/producing-quality-infographics
All found at thirdspacestudio.com/dataviz

43. Thank you!
Heather Yandow
919.780.4117
heather@thirdspacestudio.com
www.thirdspacestudio.com