More Than Pretty Pictures: A Guide to 
Data Visualization for Info Pros 
Marcy Phelps 
Phelps Research, Inc. 
September 10, 2014 
www.PhelpsResearch.com 
Twitter: @marcyphelps
DataViz for Info Pros 
Understanding DataViz 
What is it? 
DataViz in practice 
DataViz and Info Pros 
DataViz = Opportunity 
Now what? 
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We’re drowning in information! 
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Time is the new currency 
Data-driven decisions in real time 
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Boring numbers 
Insights! 3,009.9 
Worldwide Ethernet Semiconductor Revenue Forecast 
3,424.9 
($ million) 
Total Ethernet 10 G Ethernet 
3,734.9 
3,919.2 3,973.3 4,041.6 
492.2 
872.3 
1,284.6 
1,621.4 
1,947.2 
2,201.7 
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 
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Information becomes… 
Readable 
Logical/memorable 
Usable 
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UNDERSTANDING DATAVIZ 
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Data art vs. data visualization 
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Interactive vs. static 
Charts/graphs 
Data maps 
Diagrams 
Word clouds 
Dashboards 
Images 
Video 
etc.
DATA VISUALIZATION = 
Visualization design + Visual analysis 
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More than pretty pictures! 
Analyze Discover the message 
Communicate Share the message 
Monitor Track performance 
Plan Predict/prepare for future 
From: SHOW ME THE NUMBERS, BY STEPHEN FEW 15
Find 
Connections 
Health InfoScape: http://bit.ly/1mspaSQ 
MIT/GE 16
ID clusters in mailing list 
Source: Blog.MailChimp.com 
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Investigate cause 
and effect 
http://bit.ly/18DsuHx 
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Fast answers 
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Real-time tracking 
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HealthMap.org 22
Monitoring progress 
with dashboards 
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http://bit.ly/1jn4Ai1
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DATAVIZ AND INFO PROS 
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"Prove yourself on the field, 
not by talking" 
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Visual analysis process 
Data/View Specification 
View Manipulation 
Process & Provenance 
Interactive Dynamics for Visual Analysis: A taxonomy of tools that 
support the fluent and flexible use of visualizations, Jeffrey Heer & Ben 
Shneiderman, ACMQueu, February 2012, 
http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=2146416 
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DataViz team 
Strategy 
Tool selection/evaluation 
Asking the right questions 
Analysis 
Sharing 
Archiving 
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“There is a simple way to package 
information that, under the right 
circumstances, can make it irresistible. 
All you have to do is find it.” 
Malcolm Gladwell 
The Tipping Point 
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VISUAL DESIGN 
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DataViz options for deliverables 
Using visualizations from sources 
Using data from sources & creating visualizations 
Creating our own data & visualizations 
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http://data.worldbank.org/ 34
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MarketingCharts.com
Ready-to-use graphics 
American FactFinder 
http://factfinder2.census.gov 
Eurostat 
http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/eurost 
at/home 
ESRI 
www.esri.com 
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www.Phelpsesearch.com
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What type of graphic? 
What kind of info? 
What’s the message? 
What’s the relationship? 
Select your graphic 
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http://bit.ly/1yp3pth 
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Selecting the right graphic
Keep learning! 
Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten, 
Stephen Few 
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Edward R. Tufte 
Say it with Charts: The Executive’s Guide to Visual Communication, 
Gene Zelazny 
Tableausoftware.com 
Practice!! 
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“If you are seen as someone who adds value, then you 
have a seat at the table.” 
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More Than Pretty Pictures: A Guide to Data Visualization for Info Pros