Economist, data visualization, and presentation skills specialist Jon Schwabish talks about data visualization, presentation skills, open data, and technology with guests.
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The PolicyViz Podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in data visualization. Hosted by Jon Schwabish, this podcast offers a diverse collection of guests and provides something new to learn with each episode. Whether you are in the industry or not, you can appreciate Jon's incisive, clear, and to-the-point approach. He delivers value with every interview and consistently brings in experts who provide crucial perspectives on data and visualization.
One of the best aspects of The PolicyViz Podcast is the quality of the interviews and discussions. Jon is a fantastic host who consistently delivers smart interviews with interesting voices in the field. He brings on practitioners from various industries, making this podcast well-rounded and informative. Each episode offers a unique perspective and valuable insights into the world of data visualization.
Another great aspect of this podcast is how it ignites an interest in data. Even for someone outside Jon's industry, listening to this podcast can make data seem intriguing and important. The enthusiasm displayed by both the host and his guests for data is contagious. They highlight how our perspective on data can be changed, emphasizing its significance in decision-making processes. This podcast has the power to inspire listeners to embrace learning about data and appreciate those who communicate it effectively.
While there are many positive aspects to The PolicyViz Podcast, one potential drawback is that it may not appeal to everyone. With its focus on data visualization, some listeners who are not interested in this specific topic may not find it as engaging or relevant to their interests.
In conclusion, The PolicyViz Podcast is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning more about data visualization. It offers valuable insights, interesting discussions, and high-quality interviews that will keep listeners engaged. Jon Schwabish does an exceptional job as a host, providing both entertainment and education throughout each episode. This podcast should be added to anyone's regular listening rotation if they want to stay up-to-date with the latest in the field of data visualization.
In this episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic joins me to discuss the evolution of her work in data storytelling—from corporate workshops to her newest venture into children's literature. We explore how the pandemic transformed training formats, the collaborative nature of her team, and the creative process behind her latest book, Daphne Draws Data. Cole reflects on the importance of introducing kids to the visual language of data early in life and shares how simple storytelling principles can empower learners of any age.Keywords: data, data visualization, flourish, graphic design, how to, information design, graphic design tutorials, graphic design portfolio, graphic design course, online learning, graphic design photoshop, graphic design trends 2024, how to draw, data scientist, Federica fragapane, accurat, AccessibilityInDesign, EngagingVisuals, Inspiration, DataNarratives, VisualizationDesign, InstagramPortfolio, BehancePortfolio, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Cole's latest book, Daphe Draws Data on Amazon or wherever you get your books!Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Amanda Cox reflects on her career path from the New York Times to Bloomberg News, highlighting her efforts to make data more accessible and meaningful through journalism. We dive into the shifts in data journalism—from scarce print real estate to the rise of AI tools—and how these transitions affect newsroom priorities, audience interaction, and storytelling techniques. Amanda emphasizes the importance of reducing friction for domain experts and considers the future implications of AI in data analysis and design.Keywords: data, data visualization, Amanda Cox, Data journalism, Bloomberg, USAFacts, AI in journalism, Visual storytelling, Data accessibility, Media evolutionSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this episode, I chat with Mandy Spaltman and Sebastian Graeff, co-leads of the data team at The European Correspondent, a volunteer-driven journalism initiative covering news across Europe. They discuss how their team of passionate designers and analysts craft daily data visualizations, their creative process, the tools they use, and the challenge of maintaining a cohesive style while allowing artistic freedom. Hear how they balance storytelling and design, and what the future might hold for interactive and multilingual content.Keywords: data, data visualization, European Correspondent, data visualization, journalism, infographics, storytelling, media startup, volunteer, creative process, visual design, newsletters, EuropeSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out the European Correspondent!Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I speak with Yanni Loukissas, an Associate Professor at Georgia Tech, about the importance of context in working with data. Yanni argues that data are not universal but local—shaped by their origins, environments, and the intentions of those who collect them. Our conversation dives into how this perspective challenges dominant narratives in data science, particularly the assumption that datasets are neutral or universally applicable. We also discuss how design and storytelling can play a role in exposing the situated nature of data and how educators and practitioners can better teach and communicate these ideas.Keywords: Yanni Loukissas, PolicyViz Podcast, data visualization, data context, data storytelling, situated data, data ethics, data science, data politics, Georgia Tech, Jon Schwabish, design and data, local data, neutral data myth, data literacy, communicating data, data education, critical data studies, data and power, podcast interviewSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Yanni's website and read his book, All Data are LocalFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this week's episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I sit down with data visualization expert Moritz Stefaner to reflect on his journey in the field. We discuss Stefaner's work on the Data Stories Podcast, his shift from bespoke data visualization projects to scalable design systems, and his collaborations with organizations like the World Health Organization. Moritz shares insights on the evolution of data visualization trends, the importance of clear communication, and the challenges of building sustainable design frameworks.Keywords: Data visualization, Moritz Stefaner, PolicyViz Podcast, Data Stories Podcast, Design systems, Data journalism, WHO design language, Data communication, AI transcription, Data storytellingmathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthExplore all of Mortiz's amazing work on his websiteFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I chat with communication expert Davina Stanley about the power of clear and structured messaging in business communication. Davina shares insights from her books Engage and Elevate, discussing how leaders and teams can improve their communication efficiency through message mapping. She explains how a well-structured message can reduce back-and-forth revisions, build trust, and lead to faster decision-making. Drawing from her diverse career—from teaching kindergarten in Australia to working at McKinsey—Davina emphasizes the importance of outlining, visual hierarchy, and strategic thinking in crafting compelling business messages. Whether it's an email, a presentation, or a major proposal, she reveals how clarity in communication can transform workplace productivity and leadership effectiveness.Keywords: business communication, message mapping, clarity, leadership, structured messaging, workplace productivity, presentations, effective writing, trust in communication, decision-making, corporate communication, professional development, consulting, strategic messagingSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Davina' Clarity First ProgramFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this week's episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I speak with Braden Crooks, co-founder of Designing the We, about their project Undesign the Redline, an interactive exhibit that explores the history and lasting impact of redlining in the U.S. Braden shares how his background in landscape architecture and urban design led him to develop this project, which combines research, storytelling, and community engagement. He discusses the importance of making history tangible through physical exhibits, the role of public participation in shaping the narrative, and the upcoming digital expansion of the project. We also discuss how organizations can bring Undesign the Redline to their communities, using it as a tool for education, dialogue, and activism.Keywords: data, data visualization, Redlining, Undesign the Redline, Urban policy, Structural inequality, Community engagement, Designing the We, Interactive exhibit, Storytelling in policy, Housing discrimination, Urban history, Social justice, Data visualization, Public participation, Community organizing, Historical inequities, Urban renewal, Environmental advocacy, Fair housing, Policy storytelling, Systemic racismSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Braden's work and Designing the We on their websiteFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Rich Harris, creator of the Svelte framework, stops by the podcast to talk about his work. Rich shares how Svelte originated from his work in newsrooms at The Guardian and The New York Times, where he developed tools for building interactive data visualizations under tight deadlines. We talk about how Svelte simplifies web development by bridging the gap between HTML/CSS knowledge and interactive applications, making it accessible to both experienced and novice developers. Our chat touches on the broader impact of Svelte, including its adoption in diverse applications like DataWrapper and smart TV interfaces. Rich reflects on the responsibility and challenges of leading an open-source project like Svelte and discusses the ongoing focus on SvelteKit, an application framework built on Svelte, and highlights accessible resources for beginners to get started.Keywords: Svelte, SvelteKit, RichHarris, WebDevelopment, Open-Source Framework, DataVisualization, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, User Interface Framework, Interactive Applications, Newsroom Graphics, DataWrapper, Declarative Programming, Web AccessibilitySubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Rich's website visit the Svelte development websiteFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you're having a great start to 2025 and are poised to have a happy, healthy, and successful year. I'm excited to start off the podcast this year with my friend Kevin Wee, a Tableau creator and visualizer, who shares his journey into data visualization. Kevin's Tableau journey starts in 2019 at Purdue University where he faced challenges working with data, but grew in his ability to create interesting and engaging dashboards through creative projects and community involvement. Kevin and I talk about his approach to Tableau, how he incorporates other tools like Figma, PowerPoint, and Excel, and how he is using AI tools to help create better and better data tools. I hope you'll enjoy this week's episode of the show!Keywords: data, data visualization, PolicyVizPodcast, JonSchwabisch, KevinWee, Tableau, DataVisualization, TableauCreator, PurdueUniversity, BiomedicalProject, DataCareer, TableauPublic, MakeoverMonday, TableauAmbassador, DataTools, PowerPoint, Excel, TableauCommunity, Figma, InteractiveDashboards, TalkDataPodcastToMe, DataPodcasts, ChatGPT, SalesforceIntegration, AIDevelopment, DataIntegrity, DataHarmonization, DataAnalysts, FutureAmbitionsSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Kevin's Tableau Public page and check out his website.Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
The PolicyViz Podcast wraps up 2024 with David Keyes, author of the new book, R for the Rest of Us: A Statistics-Free Introduction! We not only talk about how you can get started in R using David's book, but also building data and data visualization workflows with R, RMarkdown, and Quarto. We also talk about how to create consistent visualizations through themes and functions in R to help new R users leverage its features without being intimidated by complex statistics.I hope you enjoy this episode and have a great holiday season! See you in 2025!!Keywords: data, data visualization, PolicyVizPodcast, JonSchwabish, DavidKeyes, RForTheRestOfUs, DataCommunication, DataVisualization, Quarto, RMarkdown, DataPresentation, BrandedVisualizations, Excel, SelfTaughtR, QuantitativeEvaluation, ChatGPT, QualitativeDataAnalysis, TablesInR, EfficiencyInR, SPSS, SAS, Stata, ggplot, ReproducibleResearch, BeginnerFriendlyR, QuartoVsRMarkdown, SurveyDataAutomation, Netlify, DataManagementWorkflow, LearningR, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out David's website and podcast, and grab his book R for the Rest of Us on AmazonFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
I've been super excited for this episode of the podcast for a while! This week, I speak with John Medina, author of one of my favorite books on the brain—Brain Rules! John and I talk about brain science generally and also dive into some specific aspects that are particularly important to the work of any data communicator: the importance of capturing and maintaining audience attention during presentations, emotional engagement as a way to counteract boredom and stress, and how stories can be a powerful tool for enhancing audience connection and retention. You'll learn how the brain prioritizes meaning over details, driven by survival instincts, and how storytelling effectively taps into these instincts by involving emotional elements.Keywords: data, data visualization, BrainRules, AudienceAttention, PresentationSkills, 10MinuteRule, EmotionalEngagement, StorytellingPower, NarrativeConnection, SurvivalInstincts, MikeGonzagaResearch, EpisodicMemory, DataVisualization, ScientificPresentations, RecallImprovement, SkepticismInScience, TheoryOfMind, MultitaskingMyth, LearningEfficiency, TechnologyDistractions, VisualMemory, AugmentedRealityEducation, VirtualRealityEducation, MentalHealthAwareness, ClimateChangeImpact, EconomicStress, PsychiatricDisorders, StressManagementSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out John's amazing book, Brain Rules, and visit the Brain Rules website for more great resources!Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Dr. Laura Sikola, a cognitive linguist and communications expert, visits the podcast to talk about how to be a better presenter and communicator. Laura's work focuses on how to have better presence, telling stories, and connecting with your audiences. We talk about communication challenges like the “expert's curse” and how developing your “executive presence” can command attention and build rapport.Keywords: data, data visualization, DrLauraSikola, CognitiveLinguist, CommunicationExpert, PresentationSkills, ITProfessionals, FinanceProfessionals, DataAnalytics, EffectiveCommunication, ExpertsCurse, Storytelling, AudienceConnection, ExecutivePresence, MutualUnderstanding, AudienceEngagement, ConfidenceInPresentations, SlideDesign, VocalQuality, PresentationDelivery, SelfAwareness, PublicSpeaking, ClearCommunication, ConcisePresentations, DataPresentation, EffectiveSlides, 200Rule, SlideDesignTips, PracticeAndPreparation, EngagingAudiencesSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Laura's website and watch her TED Talk, “Want to sound like a leader? Start by saying your name right”Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
I'm so excited to welcome Ellen Lupton to the PolicyViz Podcast! Ellen Lupton is a designer, writer, and educator. The all-new edition of her bestselling book Thinking with Type launched in March 2024. Other books include Design Is Storytelling, Graphic Design Thinking, Health Design Thinking, and Extra Bold: A Feminist, Inclusive, Anti-Racist, Nonbinary Field Guide for Graphic Designers. She teaches in the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore (MICA), where she serves as the Betty Cooke and William O. Steinmetz Design Chair. She is Curator Emerita at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, where her exhibitions included Herbert Bayer: Bauhaus Master and The Senses: Design Beyond Vision.Keywords: #EllenLupton, #Typography, #Design, #PolicyVizPodcast, #InclusiveDesign, #TypefaceVsFont, #DataVisualization, #ExtraBoldBook, #GraphicDesign, #Underrepresentation, #FintechDesign, #SocioeconomicImpact, #EducationalApproaches, #QualitativeResearch, #UserEngagement, #HumanCenteredDesign, #MICADesign, #BilingualProjects, #InstagramDesign, #TwitterDiscourse, #AIDesignConcerns, #BiasInAI, #AITypefaces, #UnderservedLanguages, #NewRailAlphabet, #FunctionalTypefaces, #WomenInDesign, #CalibriCritique, #TimesNewRoman, #ThinkingWithType, #DesignConceptsSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Ellen on Instagram and her website, and find her latest book, thinking with type on AmazonFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this week's episode, I interview Natalia Kisileva about her transition from engineering to data visualization and her work in data art and physicalization. We discuss her great Substack newsletter “Flowers and Numbers” and how she shifted her focus to data art, fostering community-building efforts, after the pandemic. Natalia emphasizes making data accessible through tangible experiences and highlights the importance of community, particularly in initiatives like a Telegram group for women learning interactive visualizations. Our conversation explores the relationship between physical and digital data art, and Natalia advocates for creative visualizations to engage audiences emotionally and enhance communication. Learn more about Natalia's work and how you can bring data art and data physicalization into your own work!Keywords: PolicyVizPodcast, JonSchwabish, NataliaKisileva, EngineeringToDataVisualization, DataArt, Physicalization, FlowersAndNumbers, PandemicShift, CommunityBuilding, TangibleData, DataAccessibility, TelegramGroup, WomenInVisualization, InteractiveVisualizations, PhysicalVsDigital, CreativeVisualizations, EmotionalEngagement, CorporateCommunication, ArtisticDataPresentations, InPersonInteractions, 3DPrinting, TravelInspiredArt, MothersExperiences, StrengthAndBravery, SupportiveCommunity, NewsletterEngagementSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthSign up for Natalia's Flowers and Numbers newsletter and check out her website.Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
In this episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I talk with Zach Bowders on the intricacies of data visualization, the impact of dashboards on decision-making, and the fine line between plagiarism and inspiration. We discuss the importance of context-driven visualization choices over rigid adherence to traditional formats and highlight the need for flexibility. Our conversation stresses the balance between complexity and user familiarity, the value of learning from failures, and the necessity of client engagement to accurately meet their needs. We also talk about the challenges inherent in building trust with clients, sharing sensitive information, and the implications of changes to the Tableau public license for small nonprofits.Keywords: PolicyVizPodcast, DataVisualization, JohnSchwabisch, ZachBauders, Dashboards, DecisionMaking, PlagiarismVsInspiration, TableauConference, InnovationInDataViz, FlexibilityInDesign, ContextDrivenChoices, VisualizationMethods, LearningFromFailures, DashboardDesign, ClientEngagement, StJudeResearch, TerminologyPrecision, ClientTrust, SensitiveData, TableauPublicLicense, Nonprofits, OriginalityInDesign, CitingInspiration, AttributionGuidelines, SkillDevelopment, ContinuousLearning, TechnicalSkills, SoftSkills, DataPlusLovePodcast, PodcastEpisode, CreativeFields, DataVisualizationChallenges, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthFollow Zach on Twitter and find his podcast Data+Love on SpotifyFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
On this week's episode, I talk with Jessica Calarco about her book “Holding It Together: How Women Became America's Safety Net” and the role of qualitative data in research and data visualization. Calarco, a sociologist from UW Madison, discusses her research on family life inequalities and the shift to a “DIY society,” where individuals, particularly women, manage risks without government support, leading to reliance on low-wage caregiving. She critiques the wealthy elite for discouraging collective social support and emphasizes the need for policy changes to ensure basic needs, caregiving opportunities, and work-life balance through measures like paid family leave. We also talk about Jessica's data collection efforts, which involved more than 400 hours of interviews, surveys, and national studies, to understand human experiences deeply. She addresses critiques of qualitative research's representativeness, arguing its strength lies in capturing life's complexities.Keywords: data, data visualization, flourish, jessica calarco, holding it together, safety net, DIY, data analysis, qualitative data, qualitative data analysis, qualitative data analysis - coding and developing themes, machine learning, nvivo, dedoose, ai, data scientist, qualitative data analysis thematic analysis, qualitative data collection, university of wisconsin, data analyst, data science, machine learning for beginnersSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthVisit Jessica's website and find her book “Holding it Together” on AmazonFollow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Welcome to Season 11 of the PolicyViz Podcast! After a relaxing summer full of travel and reading and fun, I'm ready to kick off a whole new season of the show. To kick off this season, I'm excited to be joined by Frederica Fragapane, an independent designer known for her intricate and beautiful data visualizations. Our conversation delves into her creative process, the tools she uses, and where she finds inspiration. Fragapane, with a Master's degree in visualization design and experience at Accurat Studio, integrates data into her bespoke visualizations that convey deeper narratives, particularly human experiences and environmental issues. She prefers organic shapes to reflect the living presence behind data, emphasizing beauty, context, audience, and accessibility.Keywords: data, data visualization, flourish, graphic design, how to, information design, graphic design tutorials, graphic design portfolio, graphic design course, online learning, graphic design photoshop, graphic design trends 2024, how to draw, data scientist, Federica fragapane, accurat, AccessibilityInDesign, EngagingVisuals, Inspiration, DataNarratives, VisualizationDesign, InstagramPortfolio, BehancePortfolio, mathematics, Al, machine learningSubscribe to the PolicyViz Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.Become a patron of the PolicyViz Podcast for as little as a buck a monthCheck out Federica's Behance portfolio and follow her on Instagram.Follow me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Substack, Twitter, Website, YouTubeEmail: jon@policyviz.com
Welcome to the Season 10 finale of the PolicyViz Podcast. I can't believe I've been doing this podcast for 10 years! I'm truly grateful to all my guests and all my listeners who have been tuning in and, hopefully, have learned a lot about data, data visualization, presentation skills, and more. As I sign off for the summer, I hope you are able to take a break and get a bit of rest.In this final episode of the season, I welcome Nancy Organ to the show to discuss her new book Data Visualization for People of All Ages. Nancy's book aims to make dataviz accessible to everyday readers. Our conversation highlights the importance of not altering data simply for aesthetics but to facilitate understanding. We also explore balancing creativity with informed design choices, and suggest alternatives to traditional graphs, such as infographics, timelines, flowcharts, and diagrams.Our discussion extends to the challenges of creating visually appealing infographics and the significance of design in effective communication. Because Nancy's book could work well to help kids better understand data and data visualization, we talk about how she might better integrate data visualization into educational curriculums. We also talk about non-traditional learning environments like science camps and homeschooling, and we also discuss inclusivity and diverse thinking approaches.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Topics Discussed Importance of Data Visualization. Nancy underscores the necessity of data visualization skills in the modern world and how these skills can be nurtured from a young age. Nancy's book aims to demystify complex data concepts, starting with basic data units and building up to more sophisticated visual representations. Educational Approach. Her book includes self-assessment tools and classroom exercises to facilitate learning with an emphasis on making the content relatable and straightforward for a broad audience. Ethics in Data Visualization. There is a strong focus in Nancy's book and in our conversation on maintaining data integrity and making ethical choices in visual storytelling. Techniques and Tools. We also discuss various data visualization formats such as timelines and flowcharts and how to understand different data encodings to enhance perceptibility and engagement. Incorporating Visualization into Education. Finally, Nancy and I talk about integrating data visualization and data science into the K-12 curriculum and how to promote visual thinking across multiple disciplines and learning environments.
SummaryGeorgia Lupi joins the show to discuss her work in data visualization, her journey from Accurat to Pentagram, and how she takes a human-centric perspective to working with and communicating data. Our conversation also focuses on her new book, “This is Me and Only Me.” The book encourages kids to observe and collect data to understand emotions and human questions, using symbols and colors to express emotions. Giorgia hopes the book will inspire kids and adults to be imaginative, observant, and mindful. We also have some breaking news on this episode because Giorgia is working on another big project, a new book called “Speak Data” that explores data as a language intersecting various fields.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Topics Discussed1. Human-Centric Data Visualization. Georgia emphasizes the importance of incorporating human elements and context into data visualization to make data more relatable and engaging. She discusses how Pentagram utilizes these principles in various branding projects to create compelling stories with data.2. Impact of Chronic Illness through Data. Georgia shares her personal experience with long COVID, illustrating how data can be used to convey the profound impact of chronic illness on individuals' lives.3. Children's Book Project - “This is Me and Only Me”. Inspired by her Dear Dataexperiment with Stefanie Posavec, Georgia's new book encourages children to observe, collect, and use data to understand their emotions and human questions. Through the use of symbols and colors, the book aims to make data visualization accessible and fun for kids and adults.4. Upcoming Book - “Speak Data”. And yes, Giorgia is working on a new book project: Speak Data will delve into the concept of data as a language that intersects with various fields, featuring interviews and insights from diverse disciplines.
Nicole Lachenmeier and Darjan Hil's new book, Visualizing Complexity: Modular Information Design Handbook, focuses on deconstructing data encodings into fundamental elements to create effective visualizations. They take an exciting and hands-on approach to data visualization design for their own work and how they teach design to others. In this week's episode of the podcast, our conversation highlights Nicole and Darjan's journey in data design and how they stress the importance of deliberate thinking, manual effort, and critical analysis in their design process.While our conversation often focuses on the details of the book, we also take a larger perspective to data visualization and discuss the need to simplify data for better comprehension through hands-on visualization workshops and the significance of selecting appropriate charts. We explore the complexity of chart selection and focus on breaking down elements of charts and graphs for better design. Nicole and Darjan talk about their collaborative process of writing a book that effectively integrates visuals and text along with the challenges they encountered and the positive feedback they've received.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Topics Discussed Authors' Journey in Data Design. Nicole and Darjan share their extensive experiences in the field and their emphasis on deliberate thinking, manual effort, and critical analysis as pillars of the design process. Understanding Basic Visualizations. We discuss the importance of mastering fundamental visualization techniques and using manual sketching as a vital tool for improving design skills and fostering creativity. Selecting Appropriate Charts. We talk about the complexities inherent in choosing the right chart for your data and how their approach can help you break down chart elements into elementary pieces Book Creation and Integration. The authors share their collaborative process of merging visuals and text in their new book
Nathan Yau's Flowing Data website was one of the first data visualization websites I discovered in my own data journey. With his new book, Visualize This, now out, I thought it would be a great opportunity to talk with Nathan about his work, his book, and how his own approach to data has evolved over the last several years.The new edition of Visualize This enriches readers with modern techniques and examples, focusing on effectively learning data visualization by exploring different data types and designing for clear communication, even for those without a formal design background. Nathan emphasizes the necessity of audience-appropriate visualizations and the selection of suitable tools, all of which have changed and evolved since the first edition of the book was published in 2011.We obviously talk about the latest book in this episode of the podcast, including Nathan's process for creating graphics (a lot of R and Adobe Illustrator), his professional growth from a statistics PhD program to embracing full-time visualization work. We discuss the nuances of handling feedback, the differentiation between misinformation and subjective interpretation, and the significance of constructive criticism. We also touch on challenges for newcomers in the field, the need for clearer communication of uncertainty, and the potential of virtual and augmented reality.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Topics Discussed Updated Techniques and Modern Examples: Nathan's new edition of “Visualize This” brings to the forefront the latest in data visualization, incorporating modern techniques and examples that cater to both beginners and seasoned practitioners. Learning by Exploring: The book emphasizes a hands-on approach to understanding data visualization. It guides readers through exploring different data types and designing visualizations that communicate clearly, irrespective of the reader's design background. Personal Data Collection and Analysis: Nathan shares his insights into the importance of personal data collection for self-analysis, a practice influenced by his time at the New York Times. This self-exploratory journey into data helps individuals understand the nuances of their own information. The Growth of Flowing Data: Nathan reflects on the evolution of his platform, Flowing Data, highlighting its expansion to include daily emails, tutorials, and personal projects.
Welcome to a solo episode! In this special episode of the podcast, I talk about the recen Tableau Customer conference in San Diego, which drew over 9,000 participants. I reflect on various aspects of the conference, including its diverse sessions that ranged from showcasing new Tableau features and case studies to hands-on workshops and discussions on data visualization beyond Tableau. I was a presenter at TC and presented my work on the Urban Institute's Do No Harm Project.My review of the conference focuses just on the positives of the conference—the upcoming features in Tableau, such as allowing Tableau Public users to save work their locally, as well as some thoughts on why I—who is not a huge Tableau user—actually attends the conference. I also discuss a few of the sessions I attended, including hands-on sessions and games in Tableau.Topics Discussed Conference Overview: A recap of the Tableau Conference, highlighting its scale with over 9,000 participants and the variety of sessions that catered to both seasoned data analysts and newcomers to the field. Tableau's New Features. Significant updates to Tableau, including the ability for Tableau Public users to save work locally – a feature that potentially redefines the need for Tableau Desktop licenses. I also talk about the introduction of customizable themes, Google Fonts integration, VIS Extensions, and the leaps in AI and real-time data integration within Tableau. Community and Networking: I reflect on the value of the community that Tableau fosters, especially through networking opportunities that are more crucial than ever in the post-pandemic era.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.
You know Enrico Bertini, right? Writer, teacher, co-host of the Data Stories podcast, Enrico does it all. Now at Northeastern University, I invited Enrico to the show to talk about his research, great Substack newsletter, and for views on the evolving landscape of data visualization on social media. In our discussion, Enrico emphasized the significance of interdisciplinary collaboration at Northeastern University. He has some concerns about the current state of visualization theory and tools and talks about his ideas around “critical data thinking” as a crucial way of thinking about data visualization, highlighting the challenges of data accuracy and interpretation. We also talk about Enrico's teaching methods to help students improve their data interpretation and data visualization skills. Enrico and I share some of the same feelings about the shifts in social media use in the dataviz community, and how it has led to a loss in diverse intellectual exchanges, underscoring the importance of finding new ways to foster community engagement and creativity, including through writing platforms like Substack and LinkedIn.Topics Discussed The Current State of Visualization Theories and Tools: Enrico critiques the prevalent theories and tools in data visualization, calling for a more systematic and thoughtful approach to both creating and interpreting visual data. Challenges of Presenting Accurate Data: Our conversation delves into the difficulties faced in presenting precise and accurate data, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these challenges have impacted the field. Impact of Social Media Platform Shifts: A significant focus of our conversation is on the changing landscape of social media platforms, particularly the decline of Twitter as a crucial space for professional exchanges within the data visualization community. Reflections Prompted by the Pandemic: Enrico reflects on the pandemic's role in helping him reevaluate his work and teaching practices, which is a helpful insight into how his creativity has changed and adapted over the last few years. The Role of Newsletters in Idea Refinement and Audience Connection: Enrico shares insights into how newsletters have become a pivotal tool for refining ideas and connecting with a diverse audience, including students from various disciplines, fostering a richer, more engaged community. Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Innovation: Highlighting the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, especially at Northeastern, this week's episode showcases how interactions between computer science engineering students and design peers, as well as varied problem-solving approaches from faculty members, can lead to fresh insights and propel the field forward.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Whisper TranscribeWhisper Transcribe is an absolute game changer in the world of transcription and AI-generated content creation! Get an accurate transcript from your audio and video files and automatically generate content directly from it.Check out Whisper Transcribe
On this week's episode of the podcast, I speak to author and teacher Nick Desbarats about his new book, Practical Charts: The Essential Guide to Creating Clear, Compelling Charts for Reports and Presentations. Our conversation covers choosing appropriate chart types, emphasizing simplicity and clarity, and understanding when to use different formats. Nick aims to challenge dogmatic views on charts, such as the use of pie charts, and stresses the importance of catering to the audience's familiarity with graph types. Our chat also includes insights on transitioning to online teaching during the pandemic, the distinction between clear graphs and dashboards, and the significance of mastering fundamentals in data visualization for beginners and intermediates. If you're familiar with Stephen Few's work, you're also bound to find some behind-the-scenes gems in this week's episode.Topics Discussed Choosing the Right Chart. Nick kicks off our conversation with an essential primer on selecting the appropriate chart types for different datasets. His focus is on simplicity and clarity, ensuring that the chosen chart communicates the intended message as effectively as possible. Challenging Chart Dogmas. Prepare to have your preconceptions challenged as Nick takes on the controversial stance on pie charts and other commonly debated graph types. It's all about breaking the mold and understanding why certain charts work better for specific audiences. Catering to Audience Familiarity. A significant portion of our chat is dedicated to the importance of tailoring chart choices to the audience's level of comfort and familiarity with different types of graphs. This segment is crucial for anyone looking to maximize the impact of their data presentations.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Whisper TranscribeWhisper Transcribe is an absolute game changer in the world of transcription and AI-generated content creation! Get an accurate transcript from your audio and video files and automatically generate content directly from it.Check out Whisper Transcribe
In this week's episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, I interview Rahul Bhargava from Northeastern University on the topic of data physicalization. We discuss the role of community engagement and societal impact in communicating data and including different people and communities. Our conversation touches upon teaching combined majors at Northeastern and expanding data engagement through Rahul's participatory art methods. We explore the limitations of visual learning and advocate for including diverse voices via data sculptures and embodied experiences.Topics Discussed Inclusivity in Data-Driven Society. The episode opens with a discussion on the necessity of inclusivity in our increasingly data-centric world. Rahul shares his insights into how data physicalization can bridge the gap between complex data and diverse community members. Teaching Combined Majors at Northeastern. Rahul gives us a glimpse into Northeastern's approach to education, emphasizing the value of combined majors that integrate data science with other disciplines. Participatory Art Methods in Data Engagement. Rahul describes his use of art tomake data more accessible and engaging. We talk about the potential of data sculptures and embodied experiences to include those who may not be reached through traditional visual data presentations. Culturally Sensitive Approaches to Data. We discuss the importance ofunderstanding and respecting cultural differences, particularly when working with youth from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Community Empowerment through Data. Rahul shares his strategies for adapting data collection and dissemination to empower communities, and his use of everyday materials like craft items to make data physicalization more inclusive. Data Literacy and Design Principles. Finally, we discuss on how to build data literacy by employing engaging and thoughtful design principles.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Ant Design System for FigmaDesign and develop Ant Design projects faster than ever! The powerful UI kit for Figma based on the most popular React UI library - Ant Design. Create and implement well-documented Ant Design apps in no time! Variables, Auto Layout, Variants, Component Properties Dedicated Figma Plugin to copy style settings from Figma to code Hover and click interactions for easy prototyping Switch between light and dark theme Developer-friendly components
Amanda Makulec is the current Executive Director of the Data Visualization Society (DVS), and in this week's episode of the PolicyViz Podcast, we discuss her journey and the DVS's evolution as it approaches its fifth anniversary. Amanda shares her experience starting as a volunteer all the way to leading the entire organization. With her second term coming to an end, she emphasizes the importance of term limits and her commitment to ensuring the organization's sustainability by focusing on operational systems, finances, compliance, and community responsiveness.Topics Discussed Leadership and Evolution of DVS. Amanda discusses her path from volunteering to leading DVS and reflects on the importance of term limits and her dedication to the sustainability of the society. Community Building and Knowledge Sharing. Amanda discusses DVS's role as a hub for individuals from different tech backgrounds to share insights and best practices and how DVS seeks to create more meaningful community spaces. Data Literacy and Supportive Initiatives. We discuss DVS's commitment to data literacy and providing a nurturing environment through initiatives like the Outlier conference and the Nightingale magazine. Navigating Social Media and Communication Platforms. As I've talked about with other recent guests, we talk about decreased engagement on Twitter/X and limited real-time interaction on LinkedIn. We discuss the balance between online space fragmentation, privacy, and psychological safety, as well as DVS's use of Slack and potential migration to other platforms such as Discord. Financial Challenges and Operational Sustainability. We talk about the financial constraints of DVS, including the high costs of Slack, and the importance of allocating the budget wisely to support key community and operations management roles.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Ant Design System for FigmaDesign and develop Ant Design projects faster than ever! The powerful UI kit for Figma based on the most popular React UI library - Ant Design. Create and implement well-documented Ant Design apps in no time! Variables, Auto Layout, Variants, Component Properties Dedicated Figma Plugin to copy style settings from Figma to code Hover and click interactions for easy prototyping Switch between light and dark theme Developer-friendly components
In this week's episode, I chat with Dietmar Offenhuber about his new book, Autographic Design and the concept of autographic data analysis. Dietmar stresses the significance of recognizing the material origins of data and the influence of extraneous variables. He advocates for a qualitative approach that pays attention to data traces, which can uncover deeper narratives. In our conversation, we explore what is meant by autographic design and urge a wider lens on data to grasp multifaceted problems thoroughly. Additionally, Dietmar's work underscores the interplay between qualitative and quantitative methods, emphasizing the role of subtlety and conjecture in data interpretation to bring a more nuanced understanding of the stories behind the numbers.Topics Discussed The Material Context of Data Collection. We dive into why understanding where and how data is collected is paramount for accurate analysis. We talk through a number of examples in Dietmar's work and book. The Impact of the Third Variable. We explore how the introduction of a third variable can dramatically shift the interpretation of data and data visualizations. We discuss the importance of being vigilant for these variables to avoid erroneous assumptions. Unintentional Digital Traces. Our conversation uncovers the value of unintentional digital traces that we leave behind and how they can be a gold mine for analysts. Qualitative Meets Quantitative. We discuss the need for blending qualitative insights with quantitative research and how they can complement each other to provide a fuller picture of analysis. The Speculative Nature of Data Analysis. We address the inherently speculative aspect of data analysis, highlighting the fact that, despite the numbers, much of what analysts do involves informed guesswork. A Call for Collaboration. The discussion opens the floor for collaborative efforts, emphasizing that the best results often come from pooling knowledge and expertise across different fields.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Maryland Institute College of ArtThe Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) application deadlines for summer and fall are April 22 and August 1. Spots are limited, so start your application now and talk to an enrollment coach by filling out our form at online.mica.edu/dav/.
In this week's episode of the podcast, I welcome author, speaker, and professor Alberto Cairo to the show. We discuss his most recent book, The Art of Insight, and our conversation extends to acquiring reliable data and challenges people across the world face in creating useful and accessible data visualizations. We also discuss the current state of social media as it relates to the data visualization community and Alberto contemplates the future landscape for both the community and data-related conferences in a post-pandemic world.Topics Discussed The Quest for Reliable Data: Alberto and I discuss the critical importance of acquiring accurate and reliable data. We talk about the the complexities involved when dealing with cross-country datasets and how cultural and systemic differences can impact data collection and representation. The Shifting Platforms of DataViz Communities: Once a thriving hub for sharing insights and innovations, Twitter's popularity in the dataviz community is on the decline. We explore the implications of this shift and what platforms are emerging as new gathering spots for professionals and enthusiasts alike. The Post-Pandemic Outlook: With the world slowly adjusting to the new normal, we consider the future of data-related conferences and community gatherings. How will these events evolve, and what can we expect from virtual and in-person interactions in the coming years? Spotlight on Alberto: No conversation about data visualization would be complete without mentioning Alberto's influential work in the field. We talk about his contributions, including his most recent book, The Art of Insight, and how his teachings have shaped the way we approach data storytelling.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Maryland Institute College of ArtThe Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) application deadlines for summer and fall are April 22 and August 1. Spots are limited, so start your application now and talk to an enrollment coach by filling out our form at online.mica.edu/dav/.
In this week's episode, we delve into the pivotal role of visual clarity in scientific research. Join me and Professor of Clinical Epidemiology Maarten Boers as we discuss his new book, Data Visualization for Biomedical Scientists. If you are at all interested in being a better science communicator—and especially if you are interested in publishing your work in academic journals—this episode is for you! We talk about how Maarten's book extends beyond the world of biomedical science into good table design, small multiples, and how academic publishing needs to get its act in order.Topics Discussed The Necessity of Clear Experimental Procedures: We highlight the significance of understanding every step within an experiment. Our discussion unpacks the ways in which clear, precise procedures facilitate reproducibility and validation of scientific work. Deciphering Scientific Terminology: Maarten's book emphasizes the importance of demystifying complex scientific jargon. We examine strategies for breaking down terminology barriers for both specialist and general audiences. Graphical Excellence in Research Communication: We focus on the power of well-titled, labeled, and annotated graphs in conveying research and analysis. Impactful Captions and Visual Storytelling: Captions are more than mere descriptions—they're a gateway to engaging the reader. We explore how to craft active captions that not only inform but also captivate and retain the reader's attention. Challenges in Academic Publishing: We confront the practical challenges researchers often encounter with journals, their design (or lack thereof), and other publishing pitfalls. We talk about how to effectively intervene when production staff mishandle figures and how to work within the constraints of journal page limits. Ensuring Accuracy in the Publication Process: Our conversation also touches on the responsibilities of researchers to ensure their findings are presented accurately and effectively, even in the final stages of publication.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Tube BuddyTubeBuddy is the main tool that I use to manage the backend of my YouTube channel. It has been a huge lifesaver when it comes to time management and properly optimizing my channel. They have tons of free tools you can check out right here!
On this week's episode of the podcast, we dive into the transformative work of Neighborhood Nexus, led by Tommy Pierce. This civic data intermediary is making waves in Georgia by harnessing the power of data to create a lasting social impact. Here are the highlights of our discussion on how Neighborhood Nexus is revolutionizing the nonprofit sector through data-driven strategies:Topics Discussed The Mission of Neighborhood Nexus: We explore the core objectives of the organization, which include addressing inquiries, informing programs, and fostering crucial relationships between data providers and users. The organization's goal is to enhance the nonprofit sector's ability to utilize data for effective problem-solving and informed decision-making. Data Utilization and Technical Assistance: Discover how Neighborhood Nexus offers support to ensure that data is not just collected but used effectively. This includes advocating for data-informed leadership through comprehensive training and building a community around data expertise. Quantitative vs. Qualitative Data: We highlight the organization's focus on not just numerical data but also qualitative insights. This includes gathering real-time information and community input, recognizing the need to capture the full spectrum of lived experiences. Bridging the Gap: Learn about the pivotal role Neighborhood Nexus plays in connecting local and regional governments with nonprofits. The organization helps with strategic planning and addresses the resource challenges exacerbated by the pandemic, emphasizing data and equity. Understanding Local Nonprofit Sectors: The episode delves into the challenges of missing data and the importance of marketing insights to serve communities more effectively. We discuss the organization's collaborative efforts with local journalism for deeper data collection and understanding of community needs. Navigating the Political Landscape: The discussion touches upon the political context in Georgia, particularly the urban-rural divide that transcends traditional partisan lines, and how this affects data-driven approaches. Capacity Building and Community Engagement: We emphasize the key themes of capacity and community building and the ambition to make data more actionable. This includes website improvements and the development of new tools to engage stakeholders.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Tube BuddyTubeBuddy is the main tool that I use to manage the backend of my YouTube channel. It has been a huge lifesaver when it comes to time management and properly optimizing my channel. They have tons of free tools you can check out right here!
On this week's episode of the show, I talk with Nate Braun, author of several Python books, all having to do with sports. Nate shares his journey from having a background in economics to writing books on sports data analysis and visualization using Python. Despite not initially being skilled in coding, Braun was inspired by his work in environmental issues and modeling, leading him to develop fantasy football models and later educational books on coding and data analysis with a focus on various sports. We cover Nate's data scraping and writing process, as well as the ins and outs of why he likes to work with Python and the various libraries he uses in his work.Topics Discussed Background and Transition: Nate shares his unconventional journey from working on environmental issues to developing a niche in sports data analytics. His inspiration took root during his work on modeling the impact of the BP oil spill. Fantasy Football and Education: The pivot to sports began with fantasy football models. The success of these models led Nate to author books designed to educate enthusiasts on coding and data analysis, specifically tailored for those outside the computer science field. Challenges and Opportunities: Nate talks about the difficulties he faced entering the competitive fantasy football advice market. With the rise in betting and fantasy sports advertising, he recognizes the potential for educating people on data analysis. Sport-by-Sport Learning Curve: Despite not being an expert in all sports, Braun has written instructional books on a range of sports by dedicating time to write and develop new models, leveraging the success and experience gained from his initial football book. Data Gathering and Visualization: Our conversation delves into the varying difficulty levels of acquiring and visualizing data across sports and we highlight Nate's use of the Python Seaborn library. Python Over R: Nate expresses his preference for Python due to its versatility in machine learning, data visualization, web scraping, and content creation, favoring it over R. Technical Deep-Dive into Web Scraping: We talk about using Python for web scraping, including dealing with JavaScript-heavy websites, and the other tools Nate uses like Beautiful Soup and Selenium. Future Plans: A teaser for a potential Python book on Formula One as Braun's love for sports continues to drive his writing endeavors.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: PixasquarePixasquare offers a variety of high-quality, low-cost design goods, from mockups to websites, logos, presentations, stock photos, and more. Head over to their website to learn more and grab great images for your next project!
Happy New Year and welcome back to the PolicyViz Podcast! In this first episode of 2024, I welcome welcome Sheila Pontis and Michael Babwahsingh, authors of the new book Information Design Unbound. They delve into the heart of information design, sharing their experiences in creating a pivotal resource for both students and professionals. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the ever-evolving world of design thinking and information conveyance.Topics Discussed Origins of “Information Design Unbound”: Sheila and Michael discuss their drive to pen a comprehensive guide in the field of information design, recognizing the gap in educational resources for this burgeoning discipline. Collaborative Challenges: The duo sheds light on the difficulties they faced while integrating varied viewpoints and adhering to publishing constraints and deadlines. Educational Resource: With over 400 images and contributions from more than 65 experts, the book is a treasure trove of knowledge, featuring exercises and activities aimed at both new learners and seasoned practitioners. Design Education for Non-Designers: The authors emphasize the importance of teaching design and information design to students without a formal background in design, tailoring approaches based on the students' areas of study. Professional Team Dynamics: An exploration into the various team structures within the field of information design and how they collaborate to address complex issues. Evolution of Design Thinking: A shift from creating traditional design artifacts to solving complex systems and wicked problems is discussed, marking the advancement in design methodologies. Cultural Sensitivity in Design: The conversation highlights the crucial role of context, audience, and cultural differences when employing icons and other design elements, acknowledging that design solutions are not universally applicable.➡️ Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Whisper TranscribeWhisper Transcribeis a transcription game-changer! It turns a three-hour video into accurate, well-punctuated text in just 8 minutes, saving hours of work. Not only does it transcribe audio and video, but the underlying AI model will generate sample summaries, social media content, bullet points, and more. Check it out!
It's the final episode of 2023! I hope you have a great holiday season and a happy new year!Gulrez is a father of three beautiful kids and works as a Data Science Leader in his day job. He has almost two decades of experience under his belt and has a knack for turning boring numbers into captivating stories. When he's not busy working, you can find him passing on his skills to the next generation in the hopes of creating a world of data literate children. A strong believer in the power of data literacy, Gulrez is on a mission to improve the way people make sense of data. He's known for delivering corporate workshops that are equal parts informative and entertaining.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: BlendJetUse my special link (https://zen.ai/policyviz12) to save 12% at blendjet.com. The discount will be applied at checkout!
William Gray is the guy behind Floor Charts, the website and Twitter feed that documents all things graphic in the US Congress. During the day, Bill oversees the strategic communications efforts at R Street and manages its growing Communications team, including overseeing the public relations, digital and events units. He joined the organization in 2020. Previously, William was communications director at Issue One, the leading cross partisan political reform group in Washington, where he helped launch and executive produce the first conservative political reform podcast, Swamp Stories. Prior to Issue One, he managed press and negotiated news partnerships as the media relations specialist for the Center for Public Integrity, one of the oldest nonprofit investigative newsrooms in the country; and was a producer at C-SPAN, delivering daily public affairs programming and coverage of Congress and the White House to viewers around the world.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Nom NomNom Nom delivers fresh food made with whole ingredients, backed by veterinary science. And science tells us that dog health starts in the bowl so improving their diet is one of the best ways to help them live a long, happy life. All you have to do is order, pour and serve.Try Nom Nom today, go to Nom Nom and get 50% off your first order plus free shipping with the code policyviz
Andrea Pacini is the author of the best-selling book Confident Presenter, a presentation coach and Head of Ideas on Stage UK. He specializes in working with business owners, leaders and their teams who want to become more confident presenters. Since 2010 Ideas on Stage has worked with thousands of clients around the world, including organizations like Microsoft, Spotify, eBay, The World Bank and over 500 TEDx speakers. Andrea is on a mission to stop great ideas from failing just because of the way they are presented. His vision is to help hundreds of thousands of business leaders inspire their audiences, increase their influence, and make a positive impact in the world.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.Sponsor: Nom NomNom Nom delivers fresh food made with whole ingredients, backed by veterinary science. And science tells us that dog health starts in the bowl so improving their diet is one of the best ways to help them live a long, happy life. All you have to do is order, pour and serve.Try Nom Nom today, go to Nom Nom and get 50% off your first order plus free shipping with the code policyviz.
Tomas Pueyo is the author of Uncharted Territories, a newsletter where he tries to deeply understand how the world works to understand where it's going and nudge it in the right direction. He became world viral with his COVID articles, notably The Hammer and the Dance. He has 75,000 readers, and 300,000 on Twitter. Before Uncharted Territories, he has worked in tech companies in Silicon Valley for 15 years.Sponsor: Maryland Institute College of ArtMICA's Master of Professional Studies degrees offer intensive, online education designed to develop both creative and professional skills. Now accepting applications for the spring, summer, and fall semesters.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.
Running your own data literacy and data consulting shop is no easy task. And helping customers not only build better visualizations and dashboards, but helping them create a better (or new) data culture is even harder. But Serena Roberts and her team at Moxy Analytics has been fighting that good fight for a few years now. Serena and I talk about what Moxy is up to, how to build better data teams, getting over imposter syndrome, and much, much more.Sponsor: Maryland Institute College of ArtMICA's Master of Professional Studies degrees offer intensive, online education designed to develop both creative and professional skills. Now accepting applications for the spring, summer, and fall semesters.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.
Creating data visualizations in the physical world is not a new phenomenon. Humans have been drawing on walls, tallying money and crops, and carving on stone tablets for thousands of years. Today, though the practice of data visualization is largely done in the digital world, there is an exciting area of working in the physical space--the real world, as it were--to create, share, and communicate data and information. That brings us to the exciting new book, Making with Data, that provides a snapshot of the diverse practices contemporary creators are using to produce objects, spaces, and experiences imbued with data. In this week's episode of the podcast, I chat with the editors of the book to get their take on this exciting field.Sponsor: Nom NomNom Nom delivers fresh food made with whole ingredients, backed by veterinary science. And science tells us that dog health starts in the bowl so improving their diet is one of the best ways to help them live a long, happy life. All you have to do is order, pour and serve.Try Nom Nom today, go to Nom Nom and get 50% off your first order plus free shipping with the code policyviz.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.
Welcome back to a whole new season of the PolicyViz Podcast! I'm excited to bring you a whole new exciting slate of guests this year covering a huge array of data visualization and data communication strategies, technologies, and techniques.Maureen Stone (Tableau Research) has been involved with Tableau since 2004, when she was asked to design the initial data colors for Tableau 1.5. She joined the company in late 2011 and became a founding member of the Research Team in 2012. As a member of Tableau Research, she continued her work on optimizing the use of color in visualization. She served as research director (2017-2021), and has recently retired (June, 2022). While best known for her expertise in digital color, she has a broad experience in information visualization, interactive graphics and user interface design. She is a member of the IEEE VGTC Visualization Academy and the author of A Field Guide to Digital Color.Sponsor: Nom NomNom Nom delivers fresh food made with whole ingredients, backed by veterinary science. And science tells us that dog health starts in the bowl so improving their diet is one of the best ways to help them live a long, happy life. All you have to do is order, pour and serve.Try Nom Nom today, go to Nom Nom and get 50% off your first order plus free shipping with the code policyviz.Check out more links, notes, transcript, and more at the PolicyViz website.
Nigel Holmes is a British/American graphic designer, author, and theorist, who focuses on information graphics and information design. Graduating from Royal College of Art in London in 1966, Holmes ran his own successful graphic design practice in England. From 1966 to 1977, he worked as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer for clients such as British Broadcasting Corporation, Ford Motor Company, and Island Records. His work appeared in New Scientist, Radio Times, The Observer, Daily Telegraph, and The Times. In 1977, art director Walter Bernard hired him to work in the map and chart department of Time magazine, where Holmes later became graphics director. After a sabbatical he started his own company, which has explained things to and for a wide variety of clients, including Apple, Fortune, Nike, The Smithsonian Institution, Sony, United Healthcare, US Airways, and Visa.See links, notes, transcript and more at the PolicyViz website.
Joe Sharpe has been founder and creative director at Applied Works since 2005, a design studio using data visualisation, user-centred design and storytelling to create digital tools and products that drive positive change. Joe also teaches on the BA Graphic Design degree at Kingston School of Art, running an elective pathway for second and third year students that explores how emerging technology is transforming the way we communicate, work, play and consume.Mike Orwell is a digital executive producer, filmmaker and consultant. Between 2009 & 2018, he was a producer and commissioning editor at the BBC and since then has worked with award-winning digital production studios like Unit9, Marshmallow Laser Feast and Applied Works to explore new storytelling methods. At the BBC, he pioneered various mass-audience, data-driven storytelling & branching narrative projects , including the Great British Class Calculator and the BBC Lab UK platform. His boutique film-making collective Elastic Semantic specialises in telling research-driven science & engineering stories for clients such as Arup.See links, notes, transcript and more at the PolicyViz website.
Jonathon Reilly is an innovative and results-driven executive with over 20 years of experience in product management, business development, and operations. As the Co-Founder and COO of Akkio, he has helped create an easy-to-use AI platform that empowers users to build and deploy AI solutions to data problems in minutes.Prior to founding Akkio, Jonathon served as the VP of Product & Marketing at Markforged, where he played a critical role in the company's growth and success. With a strong background in the tech industry, Jonathon held various leadership positions at Sonos, Inc., including Leader of the Music Player Product Management Team, Global Channel Development, and Senior Product Manager. He began his career at Sony Electronics, where he contributed significantly to the development of a wide range of consumer products as a product manager and electrical engineer.Jonathon holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies from Babson College - Franklin W. Olin Graduate School of Business and a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Gonzaga University.See links, notes, transcript more at the PolicyViz website.Episode NotesJonathon | Medium | TwitterAkkioHow to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff and Irving GeisData at Urban: How We Used Machine Learning to Predict Neighborhood ChangeautoMLRelated EpisodesEpisode #227 with Max KuhnEpisode #225 with Julia SilgeEpisode #227 with Claire McKay BowenEpisode #227 with Steve Franconeri and Jen Christiansen
On this week's episode of the PolicyViz podcast, I chat with Susan Schulten and Georges Hattab, authors of the new books on dataviz luminaries Emma Willard and Etienne-Jules Marey. We talk about these two creators and their impacts on the data visualization field today.Susan Schulten is Distinguished University Professor of History at the University of Denver, where she has taught since 1996. Georges Hattab is the Visualization Group Leader at the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Public Health Research at the Robert Koch Institute since 2022.
Micah is a mathematician who likes to use pictures to understand things. He runs a website, hockeyviz.com, where he stores pictures about hockey. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his wife and his two children.Episode NotesMicah | Twitter | SiteBubble physicsPythonBeautiful SoupsvgwriteMatplotlibLine-width illusionRelated EpisodesEpisode #238: Jeremy Ney Episode #237: Tristan Gullevin Episode #194: Charlie SmartiTunesSpotifyStitcherTuneInGoogle PodcastsPolicyViz NewsletterYouTubeSponsorUse my special link (
Jeremy is the author of American Inequality, a biweekly newsletter that uses data visualization to highlight U.S. inequality topics and to drive change in communities. His work has been published in TIME, Bloomberg, and the LA Times. He was a dual-degree masters student at MIT Sloan and the Harvard Kennedy School and was formerly a macro policy strategist at the Federal Reserve. He now works at Google and lives in Brooklyn. Episode Notes Jeremy on Twitter | Op-ed in Time American Inequality newsletter: americaninequality.substack.com Federal Reserve Bank of New York Food Deserts and Inequality Technology and Disability: The Relationship Between Broadband Access and Disability Insurance Awards Some coverage of the map: American Inequality Paul Krugman David Wallace-Wells LA Times Related Episodes Episode #228: Ethan MollickEpisode #224: Pieta Blakely and Eli HolderEpisode #191: Sarah Williams iTunes Spotify Stitcher TuneIn
Jeremy is the author of American Inequality, a biweekly newsletter that uses data visualization to highlight U.S. inequality topics and to drive change in communities. His work has been published in TIME, Bloomberg, and the LA Times. He was a... The post Episode #238: Jeremy Ney appeared first on PolicyViz.
Tristan is a Data Visualization Freelancer who likes to combine different techniques to find the best way to represent data. He regularly creates tools and videos to help people build their next projects or level up their skills. Tristan is the 2017 Iron Viz... The post Episode #237: Tristan Guillevin appeared first on PolicyViz.
Tristan is a Data Visualization Freelancer who likes to combine different techniques to find the best way to represent data. He regularly creates tools and videos to help people build their next projects or level up their skills. Tristan is the 2017 Iron Viz Champion, and current Tableau Visionary. Episode Notes Tristan | Web | Twitter | YouTube Figma Observable PowerBI Svelte Tableau Tableau Public Related Episodes Episode #234: Kirk Munroe Episode #230: Vidya Setlur and Bridget Cogley Episode #211: Jock D. MackinlayEpisode #209: The Flerlage Twins iTunes Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Google Podcasts PolicyViz Newsletter
Gabrielle Ione Hickmon (b. 1994) is a Black woman from a middle place—Ypsilanti, MI. Her lab is a place where clay and words meet. She is interested in body memory, waiting rooms, layovers, circles, Black imaginaries, and ocular proof. Her... The post Episode #236: Gabrielle Ione Hickmon appeared first on PolicyViz.
Gabrielle Ione Hickmon (b. 1994) is a Black woman from a middle place—Ypsilanti, MI. Her lab is a place where clay and words meet. She is interested in body memory, waiting rooms, layovers, circles, Black imaginaries, and ocular proof. Her work includes essays, ethnographic research, and coil-built ceramics. She won Bronze in the Leisure, Games, & Sport category of the 2022 Information is Beautiful Awards and First Honorable Mention in the 2022 NYU American Journalism Online Awards for her ethnographic research project, How You Play Spades is How You Play Life: Spades in the African American Community. Her writing has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, The Baffler, The Pudding, Literary Hub, and elsewhere. She attended Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania. She has been in residence at Pocoapoco, Mas Palou, and will soon be in residence at Dairy Hollow, Mudhouse, and Haystack. Gabrielle is currently at work on The Boyne City Project, a series of vessels chronicling her family history in Michigan which dates back to before the Great Migration, an essay collection, and a memoir. She works out of a studio in Ann Arbor, MI. Episode Notes Gabrielle | Web | Instagram | Twitter How You Play Spades Is How You Live Life at The Pudding Information is Beautiful Awards Mixed-ish from Kenya Barris Do No Harm Project from the Urban Institute Nvivo Matt Daniels at the Pudding iTunes Spotify Stitcher TuneIn Google Podcasts
Jen Christiansen is the author of Building Science Graphics: An Illustrated Guide to Communicating Science through Diagrams and Visualizations (CRC Press) and senior graphics editor at Scientific American, where she art directs and produces illustrated explanatory diagrams and data visualizations. Episode Notes Jen |... The post Episode #235: Jen Christiansen appeared first on PolicyViz.
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