What is Data Visualization? From the expert behind PolicyViz
In this episode Autumn and Dr. Jonathan Schwabish discuss the importance of strategic thinking in data visualization and the key elements of good data. He emphasizes the need to understand the data and how it was collected, as well as the importance of starting bar charts at zero. He also highlights common mistakes in data visualization, such as distorting or lying with visuals, and the potential impact of data visualization on policy decisions. Looking to the future, he discusses the role of AI in data visualization, the integration of AI into visualization tools, and the potential of augmented reality and virtual reality in data visualization. Jon Schwabish discusses the different data visualization tools he uses, including Excel, R, Tableau, Datawrapper, and Flourish. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the right tool for the specific use case and audience. He also highlights the need for policymakers and individuals to be trained in interpreting and using data visualizations effectively. Schwabish discusses the ethical considerations in data visualization, such as using inclusive language and considering accessibility. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the audience and their needs when creating data visualizations.
About Our Guest
Dr. Johnathan Schwabish
Dr. Jonathan Schwabish is founder of the data visualization and presentation skills firm, PolicyViz, and a Senior Fellow in the Income and Benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research institution in Washington, DC. Dr. Schwabish is also a member of Urban’s Communications team where he specializes in data visualization and presentation design. His research agenda primarily includes nutrition policy and policies that affect people with disabilities.
Dr. Schwabish is considered a leader in the data visualization field and a leading advocate for clarity and accessibility in research. He has written extensively on ways to best visualize data including technical aspects of creation, design best practices, and accessible communication strategies for social science research.
Through all of his work, Dr. Schwabish helps nonprofits, research institutions, and governments at all levels improve how they communicate their work and findings to their partners, constituents, and citizens. He also teaches data visualization and presentation skills at Georgetown University, American University, and in public workshops.
Outside of his classes, Dr. Schwabish hosts the PolicyViz Podcast, which focuses on data, open data, and data visualization, and has written four books about data communications: Better Presentations coaches people through preparing, designing, and delivering data-rich content; Elevate the Debate helps people develop a strategic plan to communicating their work across multiple platforms and channels; and Better Data Visualizations details essential strategies to create more effective data visualizations. His most recent book, Data Visualization in Excel, hit bookshelves in May 2023 and helps readers create more effective graphs and charts in the Excel software tool. He is on Twitter @jschwabish.
How to Support Us
Stay Connected: You can find Jon Schwabish on Twitter, his website https://policyviz.com/, his YouTube, and last but not least on PolicyViz Podcast on all platforms streaming.
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