Trends Empowering Data Visualization

Data visualization is the process of representing data in an easy-to-understand visual format. it's used to communicate information quickly and effectively. There are five major trends that will shape the future of data visualization – I've broken them down for you below.

1) Interactive Visualizations

This trend focuses on making visualizations more accessible and flexible through interactivity. This opens the door to many various elements within the data.

2) Storytelling with Data

This trend emphasizes storytelling as a way to engage audiences with compelling narratives about their data. Improves with better comprehension and makes more memorable.

3) The Rise of Self-Service Analytics

With self-service analytics tools becoming more popular, people have access to powerful insights at their fingertips without needing advanced technical skills or an IT department.

4) Automation

With automation gaining popularity across industries, businesses need ways to automate tasks like collecting, analyzing and representing large amounts of raw data so they don't get bogged down by manual processes.

5) Motion graphics and Video-based visualizations

Animation, sound effects, voiceovers, music tracks and other elements help bring your visuals alive in new ways. Motion graphics give viewers a sense of movement and action as well as helping them understand complex topics.

 We’re in the age of data. Data is everywhere, and it’s growing exponentially. It can be overwhelming to try and make sense of much of this information, but that’s where data visualization comes in.

Visualizing the U.S. Federal Prison Population by Types of Offenses (April 2009)

(Click on image for dynamic chart.)

This chart shows the types of offenses under which the U.S. federal prison population (205,096) was sentenced.

The big fat light-blue bubble is Drug Offenses, 350% larger than the next highest category (Weapons, Explosives and Arson).

Data came from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the data visualization was made using Many Eyes.

DiRT - Digital Research Tools Wiki

Image via Wikipedia

DiRT - Plant seeds. Grow ideas. - I like the name and the garden theme. What I especially like, however, is the treasure chest of information about data visualization tools. An absolutely outstanding resource in a wiki format.

Examples of Data Visualization

Subjects include the aging population, crowded prisons and the value of caregivers.

Some of my collections can be found:

via Swivel.com
via Many-eyes.com
via Flickr.com

Data visualization says it best...

Sign by Danasoft - For Backgrounds and Layouts

Here is a unique form of data visualization.

Danasoft provides this free sign to use for a blog or web site. It shows the viewer's IP, browser and operating system and throws in a custom note or funny saying.

Data Visualization by TouchGraph

A new version of TouchGraph came out a few months ago with many new features.

Try the TouchGraph Google Browser for an impressive demo. The image below is the colorful results of my search on "data visualization."

Easter Egg Christmas Trees

These Christmas Tree Easter eggs were created with dumpr.net.
Merry Christmas!

Jobs in Data Visualization

Image by T A Y S E R via FlickrWhat jobs are there in data visualization?

Thanks to Flowing Data, we get a very comprehensive picture of the bright future of data visualization.

FlowingData - Strength in Numbers

FlowingData is a website with a wealth of information about data visualization.

To get a good idea of how much is there, check out the Archive.

Also, it's worth it to visit the FlowingData Forums.

U.S. Disability and the Aging Population

Vicki's MS Path has a blog post using Swivel data visualizations. The post is called, "The Population Tsunami is Coming." The data used pertains to the U.S. population but worldwide statistics indicate an even greater effect in some countries.



Using data visualization to show the huge proportions of growth and trends occurring is a good exercise.

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Tag Cloud of Garry's Blog

Thanks to Wordle.com for their great application to make tag clouds of any URL or word list. It's also available through Many-eyes.com.

Photo Sharing Sites - Flickr vs Photobucket

It's interesting to see the people count (U.S. unique visitors) of Flickr and Photobucket over the last year for highest people count. Here is the chart using Many-eyes.com for data visualization and Compete.com for analytics.

Take the Data Language Survey

What is a collection of charts and numbers - a dashboard, report or summary?
Image via Wikipedia

If you were able to add text to a point on a chart for other people to read, how would you refer to the text?

For example, "I added a(n) _____ to that data point."

Comment?
Annotation?
Note?
Something else?

Swivel's blog, Tasty Data Goodies, has a great little Data Language Survey.

Thanks, Swivel. In this Information Age and with the future of data visualization, we need the help to communicate better.

Ambigrams and My AmbigraMania Blog

Ambigrams are an interesting form of data visualization. They provide a most basic element of information in an extremely visual way. Some of them are so amazingly beautiful.

Use Ambigram.matic for your own ambigrams. Below is one I did for Vicki

I started a blog, grjenkin Blog on AmbigraMania's new community site.

See other ambigrams in AmbigraMania's Gallery

Also, appreciate the genius of Erich Friedman's Ambrigrams

The Data Visualization of Search Engines

The following four search engines all use visualization in a unique and innovative way:

Ujiko
Very unique, AI features and linked to Kartoo. Ujiko has a very interactive visualization. It uses thumbnails, favorites and categories. Some say it's ugly, but I think beautiful.

Kartoo
3-dimensional visualization. Customized and beautiful. Recently updated, it's one of the best.

Quintura
Very customizable, supports keyword development and also has Quintura for Kids.

TouchGraph
Search Google or AOL by using mind maps - almost as good as Kartoo. New features include color, sizing and web thumbnails.

Grokker
Grok for one search, many sources. Very useful.

Internet Usage in Europe

Thanks to an excellent eMarketer newsletter article, Russian Online Population Explosion, I had important data to import into Many-Eyes.com.

Europe's 2007 Internet usage by % of population is 37%.

Russia's % of population is only 12%, but is expected to increase to 43% by 2012.

Click to Interact for a data visualization of Europe's Internet usage.

technorati tags: 2007, comscore, country, emarketer, europe, netherlands, sweden, denmark, norway, finland, switzerland, uk, belgium, austria, france, germany, ireland, portugal, data, visualization, infovis, manyeyes, spain, italy, russia, grjenkin, internet, statistics, users

Visualizing Overcrowded Prisons

The data for this visualization is from the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, State of California.

California's 2008 data is due out in July 2008. Prison overcrowding is expected to increase even more.

Population in Poverty by U.S. State - 2005

Total U.S. Population in Poverty
13.3% - All ages
17.0% - Ages 5 – 17
21.3% - Under age 5

Visualize Student Loan Debt Incurred

Another chart testing Many-Eyes.com. This chart helps visualize the huge increase in debt for law and medical degrees.

technorati tags: garrysblog, student, loan, debt, chart, visual, visualization