A useful paper on telling stories with data - vis.stanford.edu/files/2010-Narrative-InfoVis.pdf
Category: Enhancing Visual Presentation
Information vs. Confusion
Pie I Have Eaten and Pie I Have Not Eaten
Number Picture: Data Visualization via Programmable Templates
Sent to you by David Andrew via Google Reader:
Number Picture [numberpicture.com] is a web application that enables the creation of custom-made visualizations and infographics through the (re)coding of a collection of open templates. In a way, it takes the concept of social visualization (e.g. Many Eyes) one step further, as it goes beyond offering powerful tools to visualize data to the masses. In addition, Number Picture attempts to crowd-source the creation of the visualization tools themselves, here through the use of templates.
According to the 'About' page, the goal of the service is to provide a "refreshing change to all the millions and billions of bar graphs and pie charts that we see in our everyday lives" and to increase the usage of other visualizations outside of the pie chart, which was invented in 1801 ("Yes, that's right, he [William Playfair] invented the Pie Chart").
Data that can be copied and pasted into the template from Excel, while custom-made templates can be added through the use of Processing.js programming. Few examples are available at the moment, but that should be solved shortly, I guess.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to information aesthetics using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favourite sites
Arab spring: an interactive timeline of Middle East protests | World news | guardian.co.uk
Diagram.ly – Drag & Drop Diagram Creation
Sent to you by David Andrew via Google Reader:
JGraph is a UK company that develops and supports graph visualization software and web services. One of the free services they offer is a diagram creation tool called Diagram.ly. Diagram.ly offers a drag and drop interface for creating diagrams using clip art and pre-drawn shapes. Using the service does not require registration and all of your diagrams can be saved to your local computer in your choice of four formats (xml, png, jpg, or svg).
Applications for Education
Diagram.ly could be a good tool for students to use to create flowcharts of a process or concept. Students could also use Diagram.ly to create mindmaps that use images instead of just words and lines. As registration is not required in order to use the service you can have students using it quickly without losing instructional time to walking students through a registration process.
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to Free Technology for Teachers using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites
Social Compare: Visually Compare the Size of Objects and Concepts
Sent to you by David Andrew via Google Reader:
Social Compare [socialcompare.com] sees a conceptual gap between social networking and visual size comparison. The online tool enables everyone to easily compare the size of all sorts of artefacts, like objects (e.g. iPad vs. iPad 2), persons (e.g. Obama vs. Sarkozy), countries (e.g. USA vs. France) and the like. All visual comparisons can be saved to be shared on social networks or be embedded directly on blog post or website. In addition, size "tables" allow comparison of things that have no visual counterpart, such as Internet browsers, car performance statistics or sports and activities.
Ultimately, Social Compare believes it can become an new social community to create and share easily interactive and collaborative comparison tables. More information also watchable in a short introduction movie below.
See also Sizeasy - Visual Size Comparison
Things you can do from here:
- Subscribe to information aesthetics using Google Reader
- Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favourite sites
Find Great Data Visualizations at Visualizing.org
Find Great Data Visualizations at Visualizing.org: "
Visualizing.org is a community site for sharing data visualizations (aka infographics). Anyone can upload their data visualizations to the public gallery. The public gallery is divided into four categories; economy, environment, health, and energy. Visualizations in the gallery can be downloaded, printed, and or embedded into your blog or website. Some of the visualizations in the gallery, such as this one embedded below, are interactive.
National obesity comparison tool <br /><a href="#"><img alt="National obesity comparison tool " src="http://public.tableausoftware.com/static/images/co/contributorstoobesity/Eatyourvegtables/1_rss.png" height="100%" /></a>
Visualizing.org could be a good place to find infographics to use at the start of a research activity. For example, take the infographic embedded above and ask students to research the causes of and impact of high obesity rates on communities.
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