The document discusses effective data visualization and communication. It notes that a visualization is only powerful if used properly by mapping data to visual elements in an optimal way. It can fail if the questions cannot be answered by the data, or if the mapping is suboptimal. Other points of failure include not being able to extract the key points or answer user questions. The document provides tips for mitigating these failures, such as effective mapping, arrangement of elements, use of data-ink ratio, enabling comparison through juxtaposing or partitioning data, and effective communication through annotations, storytelling and interactive content.

1. Communicating
Effectively with
Data Visualization
Eamonn Maguire
@antarcticdesign
eamonnmag@protonmail.ch

2. Data Visualization
The process is about going from data to visualization whilst being able to satisfy
the questions the users want to answer?
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3. Data Visualization
???
The old adage “a picture is worth 1000 words”
should often be “a picture could be worth
1000 words if the picture was created
properly”.
Visualization is a powerful tool, but only if
used in the right way. It’s not a silver bullet.

4. Data Visualization
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Points of failure

5. Data Visualization
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1. If questions can’t be
answered by the data we have,
then we can not continue.
Points of failure

6. Data Visualization
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1. If questions can’t be
answered by the data we have,
then we can not continue.
2. If the mapping between the data and
the visual elements is sub-optimal, it
can contribute to the failing of the
visualization.
Points of failure

7. Data Visualization
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1. If questions can’t be
answered by the data we have,
then we can not continue.
3. If the user can not answer
the questions they have, the
visualisation has failed.
2. If the mapping between the data and
the visual elements is sub-optimal, it
can contribute to the failing of the
visualization.
Points of failure

8. Data Visualization
Points of failure
The importance of the error perceived in a visualisation must always be balanced
with purpose. Sometimes we don’t need to read off exact values, and perceptual
strangeness doesn’t really matter - but sometimes it does.
Iwanttolearntovisualize
If this is my password, fine. I know the context.
If it’s a wifi password for a coffee shop, maybe not.
There is confusion between the upper case i and the lower case L.
The distance between the characters can cause error in interpretation.
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9. Data Visualization
Points of failure
The importance of the error perceived in a visualisation must always be balanced
with purpose. Sometimes we don’t need to read off exact values, and perceptual
strangeness doesn’t really matter - but sometimes it does.
Iwanttolearntovisualize
If this is my password, fine. I know the context.
If it’s a wifi password for a coffee shop, maybe not.
There is confusion between the upper case i and the lower case L.
The distance between the characters can cause error in interpretation.
Iwanttolearntovisualize
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10. Data Visualization
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Points of failure

11. Data Visualization
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Points of failure
For this reason, the why must also play a role in how we map from data to visualization

12. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Effective Mappings
Between data and visual elements
Effective Arrangement
Of visual elements
Effective Communication Strategies
Make it easy to extract the key points

13. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Effective Mappings
Between data and visual elements
Effective Arrangement

42. Of visual elements
Effective Communication Strategies

43. Of visual elements
Data-Ink Ratio
Enabling Comparison

44. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Scales
Effective Arrangement
Of visual elements
Data-Ink Ratio
Enabling Comparison

45. Effective Arrangement / Scales
Mitigating Points of Failure
You don’t need to show all data on a scale, a sufficient scale goes from min to max.
Highlight other values if they are part of a narrative.

46. Effective Arrangement / Scales
Mitigating Points of Failure
You don’t need to show all data on a scale, a sufficient scale goes from min to max.
Highlight other values if they are part of a narrative.
Avoid dual-axes at all costs, try to index or juxtapose (more later on that) your data.`
From http://www.tylervigen.com/spurious-correlations

47. Effective Arrangement / Scales
Mitigating Points of Failure
Solution 1 - Juxtapose
Solution 2 - Index
https://blog.datawrapper.de/dualaxis/

48. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Scales
Effective Arrangement
Of visual elements
Data-Ink Ratio
Enabling Comparison

49. Effective Arrangement / Data-Ink Ratio
Mitigating Points of Failure
Focus on the important information.
Strong grid lines, unnecessary colour, are all distractions.
Here, a lot of “ink” is spent on grid lines
and borders that provide no “information”
Daily Sales - ABC Corp.
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

50. Effective Arrangement / Data-Ink Ratio
Mitigating Points of Failure
Focus on the important information.
Strong grid lines, unnecessary colour, are all distractions.
Here, a lot of “ink” is spent on grid lines
and borders that provide no “information”
Daily Sales - ABC Corp.
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
Removing noise increases the amount of
“ink” dedicated to data, not to the
decorative elements around it.
Daily Sales - ABC Corp.
£800
£7k
October 2020
1st 9th

51. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Scales
Effective Arrangement
Of visual elements
Data-Ink Ratio
Enabling Comparison
Juxtaposing Partitioning Superimposing

52. Effective Arrangement / Enabling Comparison / Juxtaposing
Mitigating Points of Failure
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-global-data/

53. Effective Arrangement / Enabling Comparison/ Partitioning
Mitigating Points of Failure
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-global-data/

54. Effective Arrangement / Enabling Comparison / Superimposing
Mitigating Points of Failure
https://ig.ft.com/coronavirus-global-data/

56. Mitigating
Points of Failure
Effective Mappings
Make it easy to extract the key points

57. Effective Communication
A composition of charts can help tell
a story.
We don’t need to read a caption or
have an explanation to interpret this
(at first) rather complex
visualization.
Here, annotations are used inline to
communicate what is happening to
the climate when we have not just
an increase in the mean, but also
variance.
Colour effectively communicates
warm vs cold.
https://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/tar/wg1/
fi
g2-32.htm

58. Effective Communication
Social Media
Strategy Changed
Annotations can be used to answer
questions about changes in trends, change
points, etc.

59. Daily Sales - ABC Corp.
£800
£7k
October 2020
1st 9th
Effective Communication
Social Media
Strategy Changed
Annotations can be used to answer
questions about changes in trends, change
points, etc.

60. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2007.14516.pdf
The use of visualisation here alongside the core text of the paper is very effective.
Effective Communication

61. https://pudding.cool/2018/12/3d-cities-story/
Story telling for effective data journalism has also really taken off in recent years.
Effective Communication

62. Using Data visualisation
to teach concepts is
engaging and fun.
Effective Communication
http://www.r2d3.us/visual-intro-to-machine-learning-part-1/
Move away from static
content and go towards
interactive content.

63. Questions/Discussion
Eamonn Maguire
@antarcticdesign
eamonnmag@protonmail.ch
This is a very quick overview of ways to create better visualisations and ideas on how to
better integrate visualisation in to scienti
fi
c communication.
For any questions you have on visualising uncertainty, multi-dimensional visualization, and
practical questions on implementing visualizations in D3 etc. I’m at your disposal. Just
email :)