This was talks first given at the Online News Association conference in 2013. An adapted version was given a second time for the Asian American Journalists Association in 2014.

1. Big Data Projects, Small
Newsroom
Emma Carew Grovum || @emmacarew
bit.ly/dataslides

2. This session is NOT about this:

3. 3 things that are true
Every story can be a data story.
Every journalist can be a data journalist.
Every newsroom can produce kick-ass data
journalism projects.

4. With every data project:
Ask what the goal is
● Drive traffic
● Social sharing/virality
● Public edification
● Social justice
● New editorial product
● Win awards

5. What challenge is your newsroom
facing?
● We don’t know where to get data/what to do
with the data we do have
● We don’t have the resources to do intensive
data analysis
● We don’t have the in-house tools/skills/talent
for a big fancy presentation

6. Get your staff in a
“data state of mind”
h/t to MaryJo Webster for this term

7. Everyone needs to have ideas
(and, anyone can have a data idea)

8. In a small newsroom, data projects
are successful when everyone works
& produces at the top of their skill
level.

9. In the beginning, emphasis on
Skills over Tools

10. But then, do pick some tools and a
style, and stick to them.

11. On every data project, someone
should always be learning.

12. Always be graphing: everyone can
and should contribute to visual
ideas

13. Ask: what’s the narrative? How do
we want the user to explore the
data? How are we communicating
that to them?

14. Common data project holdups
* Data is dirty
* Story isn’t focused
* Package has too many moving pieces
* Breaking news or daily news monopolizes
time of key players
* Lack of coordination
* Data is still dirty

15. Data every day

16. Sometimes data means math
* Percent change
* Adjust for inflation
* Medians vs average
* Rates and ratios
Steve Doig’s tipsheet: http://www.ibiblio.org/slanews/conferences/sla2005/programs/mathcrib.htm

17. Stay organized: Google Calendar,
Trello, etc.

18. Join NICAR, get on the email list
http://www.ire.org/membership/

19. Stuff worth trying
Google Refine
MySQL - SQLite
Piktochart
Google Fusion Tables
Highcharts
Datawrapper
ScrapeSimilar
Tableau
Infogram
Trello
Panda Project
TileMill
Chartbuilder

20. Great examples from small newsrooms
http://exoplanets.newscientistapps.com/
http://blogs.kqed.org/stateofhealth/2013/09/06/more-california-parents-opting-out-of-vaccines-look-up-
your-school-online/
http://news.stlpublicradio.org/numbers-lobbying-missouri
http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2013/06/03/Government-consultants-everywhere/
http://www.minnpost.com/crime#city/minneapolis/total
http://res.providencejournal.com/sports/assets/pages/redsox2013/
http://wcfcourier.com/app/crime_map/
https://github.com/csessig86/crime_map
http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/interactive/article/99999999/WIS08/130624067/Interactive-graphic-
Explore-where-boating-accidents-happen-Wisconsin-why?nclick_check=1
http://compasscayman.com/caycompass/2013/04/22/Ministries-release-travel-costs-since-2005/
http://www.sj-r.com/top-stories/x1973694440/Sangamon-County-draws-workers-from-long-distances

21. Great examples from small newsrooms
http://mmj.vcu.edu/2013/10/13/map-of-uninsured-hispanics/
http://www.thenewyorkworld.com/2013/10/14/dirty-supermarket/
http://politisk.tv2.no/spesial/statsbudsjettet/2014/iframe/?new=yes#/~/statsbudsjettet-2014
http://extra.twincities.com/car/maps/housing.htm
http://extra.twincities.com/car/doctors/adverse.htm
http://www.minnpost.com/data/2013/04/minnesota-legislative-bill-tracker#categories
http://code.minnpost.com/legislature-tracker/
http://stateimpact.npr.org/ohio/2013/06/17/grading-the-teachers-analysis-shows-little-connection-
between-pay-and-value-added-performance/
http://et.kent.edu/jmc40004/fees/
http://carsforcoaches.wordpress.com/

22. Good reads & tutorials
https://stevebuttry.wordpress.com/2013/07/24/advice-for-editors-lead-your-staff-in-learning-data-skills/
http://extra.twincities.com/car/mj/DataStateOfMind.pdf
http://dwillis.github.io/dashboards-for-reporting/#/
http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/26567839/My%20Favorite%20%28Excel%29%20Things.pdf
http://machlis.com/NICAR2013/
http://docs.datawrapper.de/en/tutorial/
https://docs.google.
com/presentation/d/1LNz4Y23KKkvmmPxXjJxiiBpO0ttMabJL7uI4WggQuig/edit#slide=id.
g1d30bf6a_0_116
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kRoK6oDtgRO-g1KAHBMaAFPFOEGYsr5p5kpllRIn_og/edit
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DWcXAQTn0MVciZFj_J5b3L8XlhaRTx04MQAQ6bUAF_8/edit
https://github.com/tthibo/SQL-Tutorial
https://github.com/propublica/guides/blob/master/data-bulletproofing.md

23. What else??
http://bit.
ly/datanotes