Clik here to view.
Ending the “Thank You” Ending Slide
One of the presentation techniques I totally and vehemently oppose is the “Thank You” and “Questions?” ending slides. They are a hugely wasted opportunity and in this post, I’m going to show you a...
View ArticlePolicy Translation Workshop Summary
At last month’s Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) annual meeting in Atlanta, GA, I teamed up with four others to offer a four-hour workshop on effective research...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bringing Data to Life: Physical Data Projects at Urban
In today’s Data at Urban blog post, I detail my ongoing Data Physicalization at Urban (what I call “DPAU”) project with my colleagues at the Urban Institute. This page provides updated descriptions...
View ArticleDo No Harm Guide: Collecting, Analyzing, and Reporting Gender and Sexual...
The fight to recognize and respect the dignity and rights of LGBTQIA+ people has raised the visibility of multiple dimensions of gender and sexual orientation, expanding conception of these identities...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Graph Labeling Strategies
“Where should I place the labels on my graph?” It’s question that comes up in many data visualization discussions. Although the decision about where to place your labels is largely an aesthetic...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Survivorship Bias in Stroke Care
Late last year, I presented my work on the Urban Institute’s Do No Harm project to analysts at a state department of health. (I’ve changed specific numbers in this post and am not naming the state or...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is a Graph Worth a Thousand Words?
I’m sure you’ve heard it said that a graph needs to be “immediately recognizable” or “understood at the snap of your fingers.” After all, “a graph is worth a thousand words,” right? But is this...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Exploring Formula 1 Through Data: Insights Inspired by My Son
Some of my data interests are spurred by my work at the Urban Institute, others by things I’m personally interested in, like sports or politics. But sometimes, my kids inspire my work. My son inspired...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Lost Data
Think about the last time you filled out a hand-written survey. Not an online form where you quickly click the Yes/No or Agree/Disagree radio buttons and then ‘Submit,’ but a true, in-person survey...
View ArticleCaps are in the Playoffs!
The Washington Capitals made it into the NHL playoffs last night after a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Fans have observed the Caps huge negative goal differential–the difference between the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Simplicity vs. Clarity
With many of my data visualization clients or classes, I like to begin with a simple exercise: draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left side, write down a list of the things you...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Back to Viz Basics: Flourish Edition
Over the past three years, Eric Balash, a Tableau Visionary and Tableau Public Ambassador, has been running the “Back to Viz Basics” (B2VB) project. The idea is to create a community of people new to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bringing Data to Life: One Frustration with Academic Publishing
For the past year, I have conducted a weekly “data physicalization” project with my colleagues at the Urban Institute. Each week, I would devise a new research question and give my colleagues the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Tale of Data Visualization: Inspiration, Imitation, and Tribute
An age-old data visualization debate reared its head again recently when The European Correspondent (EC) published a new graphic titled “Terrorism’s bloody toll,” which looked and felt strikingly...
View ArticleDataViz Style Guide Blog Series
For the last couple of years, I’ve been meeting pretty regularly with Max Graze, Amy Cesal, and Alan Wilson to explore and better understand data visualization style guides. There’s a lot to learn here...
View ArticleFact-Checking 60,000 Thoughts: The Mystery Behind a Misleading Statistic
In 2015, I wrote a thorough take down of the (erroneous) claim that humans “can process visuals 60,000 times faster than text.” which turned out to be one of the most popular posts I’ve ever published...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Introducing “Friends of Flourish”– Join The New Slack Workspace!
I am excited to announce the launch Friends of Flourish, a dedicated Slack workspace for the community of creators, collaborators, and Flourish enthusiasts! Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Beyond the Map: How Marimekko Charts Offer a New Perspective on Election Results
Maybe the most common data visualizations to show election results are maps. Maps, maps, maps. People love maps. The challenge with maps related to elections, however, is that they don’t always...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Introducing the Urban Institute Data Visualization Style Guide’s Open-Source...
Last week, the Urban Institute released an updated version of the Urban Institute Data Visualization Style Guide, including new details on Urban’s data visualization branding, best practices, and...
View ArticleSeeing Beyond the Data: Lessons from Faith, Text, and Visual Representation
My synagogue recently adopted a new prayer book for the High Holidays, the period of the Jewish year dedicated to reflection, repentance, and renewal. What caught my eye in this new book were its...
View Article