The yearly visualization roundups
data / curious
2019.12.23
Greetings,
Despite my disbelief, we are here: the end of 2019. This will be my last edition of Data Curious for the year as I take some time to unplug and reflect on the year to come.
Somehow, I have managed to send out this newsletter *almost* every week for an entire year. Finding interesting links that inspire me and help me learn more about data visualization has been a really rewarding experience. I hope it has been so for you as well.
To that end, I will be thinking about what I want to accomplish next year and how this newsletter could be helpful to you, dearest reader. So:
please tell me what you want to see more of in 2020
Naturally, I find the links that I share useful. But who cares about me! I want this stuff to be useful to other people. So fill out the form above if you have a minute. I mean that literally: it's 5 questions and 4 are multiple choice. So quick!
I hope that you have a really wonderful holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it. May it be full of friends, family, and people that make you laugh.
See you in 2020
- Ben
Read_
What were the best data visualization pieces of 2019?
It's that time of year: the season of yearly roundups. I've participated myself in the past by creating a list of my favorite viz from the year, but now I feel that others probably are doing a more comprehensive job. For example: Data Journalist Maarten Lambrechts has published a list of yearly visualization lists (so meta) so you can browse all the yearly roundups in one place.
How should we design for data visualization?
A team of IBM Designers share the unique challenges they face when designing with data. Here's my favorite bit:
"People working in modern day enterprises require more than just static charts and pretty looking visualizations; they need to go beyond by drilling deeper, probing further, and understanding the forces that influence their business."
Are computers the new artists?
I loved this dive into creative coding history on how computer code became a modern design medium. The article exams the evolution of the MIT research group responsible for pushing the field of creative coding forward, most notably with projects like Processing and p5.js. It really made me think differently about how we use technology to create art.
Explore_
What does world elevation data look like?
Developer Andrei Kashcha released a new project out into the wild that made my jaw drop. I love it's beauty and simplicity. By using Mapbox elevation data, Andrei created a world map with elevation data visualized as a joyplot. You can adjust the parameters of the chart for yourself for even more customization. Amazing!
How much do cell phone companies know about my location?
Way. Too. Much. The NYT published this investigative piece based on an *anonymous* dataset of cell phone locations. Through piecing them together though, the authors show how you can piece together someone's identity using their location points...like a Secret Service employee. Wild.
Analyze_
Which countries are on track to hit their climate targets?
Very, very few. The Climate Action Tracker keeps a record on how well each country is doing against their self-defined goals for reducing emissions into the atmosphere. They also have published an open data portal with statistics for each country so you can see for yourself.
Learn_
How can I build my own D3 scrollytelling story?
I liked this walkthrough from Ketih McNulty on how he created a scroll-through story using D3 and Javascript. It's a not-too-complicated intro into how D3 animations can drive storytelling (and he provides code snippets to help).
How should I analyze network data?
I found this research paper really useful both from a theoretical and practical standpoint: Nine quick tips for analyzing network data.
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