An overview of best practices on data visualization, with plenty of examples and tips.

1. Putting Your Data to Good Use:
Data Viz for the Rest of Us
Heather Yandow
heather@thirdspacestudio.com

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

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

4. Data Visualization Has Two Purposes

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

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

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

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

11. 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!

14. Example: It’s been a rough few years.
How are we doing?

18. It was a mixed bag for organizations between 2011 and 2014, with
almost equal numbers gaining and losing staff over the time period.

20. It was a mixed bag for organizations between 2011 and 2014, with
almost equal numbers gaining and losing staff over the time period.

21. Data Makeover from Storytelling with Data

22. Data Makeover from Storytelling with Data

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

24. More Complex
Data Dashboards

25. Infographics

29. Infogr.am

30. Easel.ly

31. 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

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