Comments on: Do You Know How to Showcase Your Data? http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/ Marketing blog focused on marketing optimization, improving website conversion rates, search engine marketing, web analytics, word of mouth, etc. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:58:28 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Stephen Few http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-128752 Stephen Few Thu, 02 Aug 2007 23:21:17 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-128752 I found it interesting to note how many of you began by boasting a "10 out of 10" score on my "Graph Design IQ Test." This test was intentionally designed to illustrate in obvious ways the superiority of good graph design practices compared to the poor practices that have become common in the business world. The greater effectiveness of one graph over the other in each of the 10 questions was designed to be obvious so that even people with no training in data visualization could easily use their eyes and brains to recognize the difference. The point that I'm trying to make is that you don't need to be highly trained to present data effectively. The principles and practices are easy to learn, but they are not intuitive or obvious until you see bad and good examples side by side and have heard someone explain what makes the good practices work. In other words, training is needed, but it isn't difficult if you have the right resources. These simple lessons are taught in my book "Show Me the Numbers" and in my "Table and Graph Design for Effective Communication" course. Take care, Stephen Few Perceptual Edge P.S. to Lars: A book about data visualization without words would not be very effective. Some information is best communicated in pictures and some in words. Both serve important roles in learning, even about data visualization. I found it interesting to note how many of you began by boasting a “10 out of 10″ score on my “Graph Design IQ Test.” This test was intentionally designed to illustrate in obvious ways the superiority of good graph design practices compared to the poor practices that have become common in the business world. The greater effectiveness of one graph over the other in each of the 10 questions was designed to be obvious so that even people with no training in data visualization could easily use their eyes and brains to recognize the difference. The point that I’m trying to make is that you don’t need to be highly trained to present data effectively. The principles and practices are easy to learn, but they are not intuitive or obvious until you see bad and good examples side by side and have heard someone explain what makes the good practices work. In other words, training is needed, but it isn’t difficult if you have the right resources. These simple lessons are taught in my book “Show Me the Numbers” and in my “Table and Graph Design for Effective Communication” course.

Take care,

Stephen Few
Perceptual Edge

P.S. to Lars: A book about data visualization without words would not be very effective. Some information is best communicated in pictures and some in words. Both serve important roles in learning, even about data visualization.

]]> By: Data Visualization 2.0 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-127972 Data Visualization 2.0 Thu, 02 Aug 2007 11:14:37 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-127972 [...] the last few years we have had a flurry of new techniques beyond the conventional ways to visualize data - tables, histograms, pie charts and bar graphs to display data. Smashing magazine points us to [...] [...] the last few years we have had a flurry of new techniques beyond the conventional ways to visualize data – tables, histograms, pie charts and bar graphs to display data. Smashing magazine points us to [...]

]]> By: Jeremy Scott http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-125021 Jeremy Scott Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:23:41 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-125021 9 out of 10. I am one of the few who will admit there is always room for improvement.....At this point looks like I am the only one :) 9 out of 10. I am one of the few who will admit there is always room for improvement…..At this point looks like I am the only one :)

]]> By: Amy Chesbro http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123359 Amy Chesbro Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:42:31 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123359 10/10 Although, I wonder if people who score less would own up to it! Love the Tufte. 10/10
Although, I wonder if people who score less would own up to it!
Love the Tufte.

]]> By: Jeff Larche http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123345 Jeff Larche Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:31:25 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123345 Another 10 out of 10. I'm a huge Tufte fan, which helps. (And based on some early reader feedback, I'm already improving the last graphic of the white paper that's in your Inbox! lol) Another 10 out of 10. I’m a huge Tufte fan, which helps. (And based on some early reader feedback, I’m already improving the last graphic of the white paper that’s in your Inbox! lol)

]]> By: Rob http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123335 Rob Mon, 30 Jul 2007 22:19:30 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123335 I got 10 out of 10. I suspect that Information Mapping(http://www.infomap.com) training helped. I sure wasn't born with the knowledge. I got 10 out of 10. I suspect that Information Mapping(http://www.infomap.com) training helped. I sure wasn’t born with the knowledge.

]]> By: David L http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123270 David L Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:51:11 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123270 I can't update my Flash (corporate shackels), so I couldn't score. But I've often been told that I rock data hardcore. For great books on data visualization, see Edward Tufte's site: http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/ One book (instead of all four) would most likely be sufficient (they all seem to expound on the same theories of data density and the like), but well worth the read (look). I can’t update my Flash (corporate shackels), so I couldn’t score. But I’ve often been told that I rock data hardcore.

For great books on data visualization, see Edward Tufte’s site:
http://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/

One book (instead of all four) would most likely be sufficient (they all seem to expound on the same theories of data density and the like), but well worth the read (look).

]]> By: Jacques Warren http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123241 Jacques Warren Mon, 30 Jul 2007 20:30:27 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123241 I got 10 out of 10. I have no merit, I attended Stephen Few's first public class in early June. It was an amingly enlighting experience. It had an immediate impact on my work. I got 10 out of 10. I have no merit, I attended Stephen Few’s first public class in early June. It was an amingly enlighting experience. It had an immediate impact on my work.

]]> By: Lars http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/comment-page-1/#comment-123198 Lars Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:57:03 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/07/30/do-you-know-how-to-showcase-your-data/#comment-123198 10 out of 10. Too easy. :) Someone should "write" a book with three examples per page: Bad - Good - Excellent. The reason I was hesitant to use the word write is that really good books about data visualization contain zero words. ;-) 10 out of 10. Too easy. :)

Someone should “write” a book with three examples per page: Bad – Good – Excellent.

The reason I was hesitant to use the word write is that really good books about data visualization contain zero words. ;-)

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