This document provides an introduction to data visualization and infographics. It discusses the differences between infographics, which focus more on design and communication, and data visualization, which focuses more on statistical analysis. Examples are given of effective infographics used in journalism, medicine, meteorology, history, and other fields. The document also outlines best practices for creating effective infographics and data visualizations, such as using color meaningfully and providing context so audiences understand the information presented. It cautions that not all visualizations present information accurately and provides some examples of misleading charts.

1. DATA ANALYTICS UNIT
SESSION I
A short Introduction to Data Visualization and Infographics

2. TEDTalk:
David McCandless
http://www.ted.com/talks/david_mccandless_the_beauty_of_data_visualizati
on?language=en#t-164522

3. Infographics vs. Data Visualization
● INFOGRAPHIC: An Infographic is a graphical representation or
visualization of information or data, designed to present, analyse
or explore.
o More focus on design and communication.
● DATA VISUALIZATION: Tools and methods for visual
representation and description of data, statistics, and analysis.
o More focus on statistical analysis.

4. “THERE IS MAGIC IN GRAPHS.”
-Henry D. Hubbard
https://designinspirationhub.wordpress.com/2012/05/12/25-chart-graph-designs-for-inspiration/

5. Why are data visualizations and infographics important?
● Communicating
Results and Information
● Exploratory Data
Analysis
http://neomam.com/interactive/13reasons/

7. http://www.designlessbetter.com/blogless/tags/infographics
http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2013/3/5/pairing-wine-food.html
Examples of Infographics:

8. http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/mar/07/infographics-for-children-can-learn-from-data-
visualisations
Examples of Infographics:

9. Creating Infographics:
A step by step guide
1. Understand Goal and
Audience
1. Obtain and Organize Data
1. Create Story/ Narrative
1. Visualize Data and make it
Eye Catching

10. Creating Infographics
● The “10-foot-test”
○ Put an infographic on a 11”x8.5” piece of paper and step 10 feet away. Do
you know what the infographic is saying?
● Proper Usage of Color
○ Use “only those components in a chart that actually represent values and
items.” (i.e. not the axes)
● Meaning to Audience
○ “If you can provide context and meaning to your data visualizations, your
audience will be more willing to listen”
○ Don’t simply show people with no math background an infographic – explain it
to them!

11. Data Visualization
Charting the Beatles: “What did the band’s calendar look like during Beatlemania?”
http://chartingthebeatles.com/#schedule

12. Transforming Data
Before: After:
A Mosaic Plot!

13. Applications of Data Science:
Journalism
The New York Times: “512 Paths to the White House”
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/02/us/politics/paths-to-the-white-house.ht`ml

14. Medicine
“Heart Disease in the United States - Map”
http://www.cardiologist.org/heart-disease-in-the-united-states-map/

15. Meteorology
“Surveying the Destruction caused by Hurricane Sandy”
http://www.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2012/1120-sandy/survey-of-the-flooding-in-new-york-after-the-hurricane.html

16. “Mapping the Microbes of the New York City Subway”
www.wired.com/2015/02/mapping-microbes-new-york-city-subway/
Epidemiology

17. History
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Joseph_Minard
Charles Joseph Minard: Napoleon’s March to Moscow in 1812

18. Creating Data Visualizations
● Maximize information shown (data-ink ratio)
● Always include axes and units when applicable
● Avoid unnecessary graph “decorations”
● Represent data in an accurate and truthful way

19. Not All Visualizations Are Created Equal
???

20. Not All Visualizations Are Created Equal
From “Media Matters”
http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/10/01/a-history-of-dishonest-fox-charts/190225
(Cont’d)

21. Not All
Infographics
Are Created
Equal,
Either
From XKCD
https://xkcd.com/1273/

22. Resource Demo
● https://www.canva.com/
❏ https://infogr.am/ ❏ R

23. Your turn to
make a visualization!
Questions?

24. Links
A history of dishonest FOX charts: http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/10/01/a-history-of-dishonest-
fox-charts/190225
Element of Visualization: http://www.visual-literacy.org/periodic_table/periodic_table.html
Download R: http://www.r-project.org/
Canva https://www.canva.com/
Inforgr.am https://infogr.am/app/#/home