Yesterday in my Research Methods class, we talked about data visualization. While this might sound dry and boring, the way we view data and information is actually very cool. We're in an era of Big Data (industry term, not mine), in which our increasingly digitized and connected world creates a deluge of data. This data is being used to improve city services, make programs Netflix users will love, and so much more.
However, one of the problems with all this data is how to present it in a way that people can understand. How do we show what one billion dollars really looks like? How do we learn which country really has the most soldiers? In class, we watched a Ted Talk in which David McCandless, a self-described data journalist, explained how we can use visuals and graphics to show data in ways that make it easier for people to understand. And when McCandless explained how he did it, I understood it!
What makes this even cooler is that he puts his visualizations online where anyone can access and, in some cases, even manipulate them. His website is informationisbeautiful.net, and I highly recommend you take a look at some of what he has produced. Today I looked at how many cds or music sales an artist would have to make to earn a US monthly minimum wage, learned who was using Twitter, and discovered that it's probably not worth my energy to take Calcium or Vitamin C supplements. McCandless frequently updates the site, so check back often to see what else he is working on next.