Shows
storytelling with data podcaststorytelling with data podcast: #77 creativity with data, a chat with Alli TorbanData storyteller Alex talks with information designer Alli Torban about her new book, Chart Spark. Alli believes that creativity isn’t a synonym for art; instead, it’s the ability to generate new ideas or remix existing ideas in a useful way. When you learn to harness that creativity, you can develop new approaches to create more impactful data communications. Tune in to discover helpful prompts and strategies that will help you push past a mental block when you aren’t sure how to visualize your data and capture inspiration for the next time you need a creative idea. ...2024-05-2342 min
Data Career Podcast: Helping You Land a Data Analyst Job FAST109: How to Become a Data Visualization Designer & a Creative Data Analyst w/ Alli TorbanThis episode features Alli Torban, a leading data information designer, sharing her career journey from a data analyst to teaching data visualization to companies like Google and Moderna.
Alli advises on becoming a data viz designer, emphasizing the significance of data literacy, tool mastery, and building a portfolio with personal projects.
Connect with Alli Torban :
🤝 Follow on Linkedin
📔 Learn About Chart Spark
🧙♂️ Ace the Interview with Confidence
📩 Get my weekly email with helpful data career tips
📊 Come to my next free “How to Land...2024-05-0836 min
The Art of Communicating DataStrategies to Unlock Creativity with Data Visualizations: Interview with Alli Torban, Author of Chart SparkThis is a must listen if you want to be more creative with your data projects, particularly data visualizations. Alli shares practical strategies and processes to help you get creative and she also debunks misconceptions we have about creativity.
You can grab a copy of Alli Torban's book, Chart Spark, here: https://www.chartsparkbook.com/
And connect with her on Linked In here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisontorban/
More about Alli Torban:
Alli Torban is the author of Chart Spark, a...2024-02-0724 min
Data Viz TodayWelcome to Data Viz Today!Data Viz Today, hosted by Alli Torban, is a friendly and insightful podcast for anyone interested in data visualization. It offers practical advice, showcases the latest tools and methods, and features inspiring stories from the field, aimed at analysts, journalists, and designers seeking to refine their data viz skills. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com Chart Spark book: https://www.chartsparkbook.com Elevate Dataviz Learning Community: https://www.elevatedataviz.com Follow Alli Torban on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisontorban2024-01-1801 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: Wanna chat? ☕ I'm opening up my calendar!Hey dataviz friend, my book is launching in early December (CHART SPARK), and after giving a workshop this morning that used the prompts from the book, I realized....chatting and brainstorming with other people is my happy place! So, do you wanna chat? Anything on your mind about dataviz careers, creativity, or brainstorming on a real project? I'm opening my calendar on Thursdays until the year-end for fun coffee chats. Snag a time on my calendly below. No cost or commitment required – just good vibes and chart sparks! 📊⚡ https://calendly.com/allitorban/chart-spark-virtual-coffee-chat-with-alli-torban2023-10-3102 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: How to build habits and rituals that support your creative practiceWhy are habits/rituals important to your creative practice and what are some examples? Duncan Geere, Will Chase, and I share what's been most impactful to our dataviz practice! Shownotes / watch video: https://blog.elevatedataviz.com/the-elevate-dataviz-show-6 RJ Andrew's creative rituals infographic: https://infowetrust.com/project/routines2022-11-2259 min
Data Viz Today81: Going off the beaten path with Neil Richards (Creativity Mini-Series)How do you approach creativity for personal projects vs business intelligence? That's our big creativity question today for Neil Richards. Neil Richards is the author of the new book Questions in Dataviz, Lead Business Intelligence Analyst at JLL, and four-time Tableau Visionary. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/812022-11-0130 min
Data Viz Today80: How to start a creative project with Manuel Canales (Creativity Mini-Series)We’re exploring creativity in information design from the perspective of amazingly creative people in the field! Let’s hear how Manuel Canales, the graphics assignment editor at the Washington Post and previously the senior graphics editor at National Geographic, gets the most out of his creativity. How he approaches the pressure of a new project has changed the way I work! Let’s go… Show notes2022-10-1126 min
Data Viz TodaySPECIAL LAUNCH: Visual Metaphor Workshop! Save your seat in the virtual workshop! (50% off promo code expires Sept 15) How to Create Visual Metaphors — Virtual Workshop September 22, 2022 at 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM EDT Increase your work's memorability and clarity by learning how to incorporate visual metaphors into your information communication! Agenda: Presentation to understand what visual metaphor is, its benefits, when it's effective, and my process for creating them + lots of examples (30 min) Live brainstorming where I apply my process to an attendee's project. Watch me work or bring your own project to work through the prompts in real...2022-09-0802 min
Data Viz Today79: Don't exceed your audience's patience with Marcelo Duhalde (Creativity Mini-Series)We’re exploring creativity in information design from the perspective of amazingly creative people in the field! Let’s hear how Marcelo Duhalde, the Associate Creative Director at the South China Morning Post, approaches creativity. We dive into how he defines creativity, what his process is like, what kills his creativity, and more! Show notes2022-09-0631 min
Data Viz Today78: Creativity is a risky act with Duncan Geere (Creativity Mini-Series)We’re exploring creativity in information design from the perspective of amazingly creative people in the field! Let’s hear how Duncan Geere approaches creativity. We dive into how he defines creativity, how he gets the most out of his creativity, and more! Duncan Geere is an information designer living in Sweden who works with graphics, words, and sound. He's one-half of the loud numbers, data sonification podcast and studio. And one-quarter of the Elevate data viz learning community. Duncan is always surprising me with his creative data sonification experiments, and he's also a really deep thinker. So I...2022-08-1637 min
Data Viz Today77: What daily practice looks like with Mesa Schumacher (Creativity Mini-Series)We’re exploring creativity in information design from the perspective of amazingly creative people in the field! If it’s not a magical process, then what is it? Let’s hear how Mesa Schumacher approaches creativity. Mesa Schumacher is a science artist currently living in Fiji who specializes in communicating complex ideas through illustration, infographics, and animation. Mesa's work can be found in National Geographic and Scientific American, on signage at the National Zoo, in academia, and on giant puzzles! We dive into how she defines creativity, what her routines are, what kills her creativity, how sh...2022-08-0931 min
Data Viz Today76: Creativity is a spectrum with Andy Kirk (Creativity Mini-Series)We’re exploring creativity in information design from the perspective of amazingly creative people in the field! If it’s not a magical process, then what is it? Let’s hear how Andy Kirk approaches creativity. We dive into how he defines creativity, what his routines are, what kills his creativity, how he presents creative ideas to clients, where he finds inspiration…and more! Shownotes Volunteer to be a Beta reader for my creativity book!2022-08-0234 min
Data Viz Today75: Change your space to change your mind with Stefanie Posavec (Creativity Mini-Series)Today, I’m launching a mini-series all about creativity in information design. If you’re like me and came from a data background, communicating information in creative ways can feel a bit like a magical process, so over this series, I’ll invite creative information designers and dive into their process: What are their routines, what kills their creativity, how do they present creative ideas to others…and more! Let’s hear how Stefanie Posavec approaches creativity in information design… Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/75 Stefanie Posavec's work Sign up to be a Beta...2022-07-2622 min
Data Viz Today74: What It's Like Being a Data Journalist — Featuring Danielle AlbertiToday, we have Danielle Alberti on the show to share a behind-the-scenes look at how to become and be a data journalist! She's the editor of the data visualization team at Axios and shares: What's a typical day as a data journalist Which skills are important What she looks for in a resume and portfolio when hiring for a data journalist position What she would do differently if she were starting her data journalist career over again This interview with Danielle was the special opening segment to the Elevate Learning Community conference — you can watch the whole co...2022-06-3046 min
Data Viz Today73: 3 Ways to Analyze Time Series Data Without Losing Nuance — Featuring Zan ArmstrongToday, we have Zan Armstrong with us to share 3 simple alternatives to aggregating time series data in the usual ways so you don’t lose important nuance. It’s so easy to get pushed into aggregating data a certain way by our software so being aware of some alternatives is really helpful when you’re analyzing and visualizing data. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/732022-05-2425 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: Top Tips on Creating a Data Viz BriefI walk you through my process for creating a data viz brief and how to use it! If you're interested in a short training and getting a copy of the data viz brief template that I use with my clients, shoot me an email with the subject line "INTERESTED!" and if there's enough interest, I'll host a live training! hello@allitorban.com2022-04-2611 min
Data Viz Today72: How to Add Strategy Sessions to Your Data Viz Workflow — Featuring Liz HatherleyWhen you’re kicking off a data viz project, do you have a series of questions that you ask to uncover the goals, audience, and data? Want to know how to kick it up a notch? I know I do! Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Liz Hatherley, whose whole expertise is wrapped up in pulling this kind of information out of her clients, which has led to incredibly smooth dataviz projects! In this episode, Liz shares more about what kinds of questions she’s asking in her discovery workshops and how we, as data viz...2022-03-1540 min
Choose to be CuriousEp. #164: DataViz: Curiosity, Context & Insight, with Alli TorbanInformation design consultant Alli Torban believes visuals can help anyone understand anything. Data visualization has undergone a seismic transformation in recent years. What role does curiosity play in how we collect, present and absorb information?
A morsel: "As a general rule of thumb, if I have a strong emotional response to a chart, I’m going to spend more time being skeptical of it."
Theme music by Sean Balick. “Charcoal Lines" by Sketchbook via Blue Dot Sessions.2022-03-0227 min
Data Viz Today71: Demystifying the Freelance Dataviz ProcessJoin the Elevate Membership Program! I invited a few of the best dataviz designers and freelancers I know on the show today (Duncan Geere, Gabrielle Merite, and Will Chase) and we absolutely stuffed the hour with as many dataviz freelancing tips as we possibly could! In this episode, we demystify the whole process: starting from when someone emails you that they’re interested in your work, what you should write back, what you should ask in the discovery call, basics to include in your contract, tips on how to price your work, tools we use to...2022-01-111h 08
Data Viz Today70: My 3 Biggest Lessons Learned in 2021Today I’m calling out the biggest things I learned in the past year. There’s just something about naming it that helps me remember to keep doing it in the new year and even how I can take it up a notch in the next year. In this episode, I’ll highlight the three biggest lessons I learned this year, and they all stem from better communication with clients, ourselves, and with our colleagues. Let’s get to it! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/70 Elevate Membership waitlist: https://forms.gle/wBDXYYm3rEawY3pP...2021-12-2811 min
Data Viz Today69: 3 Tips for Solving Problems with Networks — Featuring Dr. Keita BroadwaterHave you ever reimagined your tabular data set as a network and discovered new insights? Networks are an obvious choice if you’re visualizing someone’s social network, for example, but there are so many more possibilities! In this episode, Dr. Keita Broadwater will explain what a network is, share a couple of examples of tabular data reimagined as a network, and give us a few tips on when a data set might be ripe for this kind of analysis.2021-11-3031 min
The PolicyViz PodcastData Viz Today podcast host Alli Torban talks design, dataviz, and morehttps://policyviz.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/PolicyViz_EpisodeNo203.mp3The post Episode #203: Alli Torban appeared first on PolicyViz.2021-10-1946 min
Data Viz Today68: How to Future-Proof Your Data Viz Career — Featuring Dr. Jonathan SchwabishHow do we future-proof our data viz careers? What skills are important now and 10 years from now as software companies come and go and $5 dashboards pop up on Fiverr? In this episode, Dr. Jonathan Schwabish and I talk about what our consultant work looks like right now and how we’re working to future-proof our careers. This is a joint podcast between Data Viz Today and PolicyViz so we’ll both be asking questions. Let’s go! https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/682021-10-1950 min
Data Viz Today67: How to Use 3D in Innovative Ways — Featuring Dr. Tyler Morgan-WallHave you written off 3D as a big no-no? Not yet! In this episode, Dr. Tyler Morgan-Wall shares his latest innovations and impactful use cases of his Rayshader package in R. Take a listen and be amazed at the samples in the show notes! (you can use Rayshader and R for free!) https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/672021-09-2832 min
Data Viz Today66: How to Make Music with Data — Featuring Duncan Geere and Miriam QuickHave you heard of data sonification? It’s the process of turning data into sound, and there's a novel podcast out now called Loud Numbers where Duncan Geere and Miriam Quick introduce a data story, explain how they sonified it, and then play the sonification they've created. In this episode, we discover how they created their podcast, what’s the benefit of turning data into sound, and how we can make our own sonifications without sounding like complete amateurs! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/662021-08-311h 03
Data Viz Today65: Why You Don’t Need to be a Data Viz Unicorn to Have a Fulfilling Career— Featuring Amanda MakulecIt’s easy to think you have to be the master at D3 and also have the design eye of an artist in order to have a fulfilling data viz career, but that has not been my experience, nor the experience of my guest today Amanda Makulec who is the Data Visualization Society’s Executive Director. She’s heard her fair share of data viz origin stories, frustrations, and career pro tips, so I asked her to come on the show and share with us her golden advice on navigating a data viz career (spoiler alert: you don’t...2021-07-2043 min
Data Viz Today64: 3 Common Reporting Mistakes + How to Overcome Them — Featuring Ann K. EmeryHow can you take a dense, technical report and turn it into something people will actually read? In this episode, Ann K. Emery shares the top tips that she recommends to her clients that have been bringing reports to life for years! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/642021-06-1544 min
Data Viz Today63: How to Integrate Accessibility into Your Data Viz Workflow — Featuring Frank ElavskyWhat can we do to make our data visualizations more accessible to more people, especially those with disabilities? In this episode, Frank Elavsky shares how we can integrate accessibility into our current data visualization workflow. It’s a skill just like anything else, so let’s get practicing! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/632021-05-2538 min
Data Viz Today62: How Much Money Do Data Visualization Professionals Make?Ah, money. The topic everyone wants to hear about but no one wants to talk about! It’s a complicated and nuanced subject because there are so many variables that factor into someone’s compensation, but... In this episode, I’ll share some highlights from the responses in the Data Visualization Society community survey to give you a sense of what data viz professionals are pulling in. Don't forget to check out the interactive chart in the show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/622021-03-3008 min
Data Viz Today61: 3 Insights From a Personal Project That Blew Up — Featuring Nadieh Bremer and Shirley WuWhat are the ingredients of a successful personal project? How do you even know what topic to make your personal project about? What constraints make for a successful personal project? In this episode, data visualization designers Nadieh Bremer and Shirley Wu share insights they learned from completing a year-long collaboration that ended with a new book called Data Sketches!2021-02-1638 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: 3 Steps to Feel More Confident in Your Data Visualization ProcessDo you feel lost when you’re creating a chart? Are you feeling around in the dark with every new project? Confidence comes with practice, but you can also take a few smart steps, in the beginning, to create an effective chart. I’ve interviewed top designers for years on my podcast while creating and experimenting on my own, and I’ve found that these steps reap great rewards. Try them out, and you’ll feel more confident in your data visualization skills regardless of the situation or your toolset. If you need help mak...2021-01-2507 min
The Present Beyond Measure Show: Data Storytelling, Presentation & VisualizationThe Year in Data: 8 Stunning Data Visualizations that Defined 2020 with Alli Torban>> VIEW SHOW NOTES FOR DATA VISUALS + RESOURCESThis episode is a very special new holiday tradition called “The Year In Data”. I partnered with a fellow data viz renegade and beloved host of the Data Viz Today Podcast!Alli Torban is an Information Design Consultant in Washington, D.C.and a leading voice in the field of data visualization on her podcast Data Viz Today, which has been downloaded over 100,000 times. Her work has been featured in the likes of Washingtonian Magazine and Nathan Yau’s Flowing Data, and she’s been published three tim...2020-12-221h 10
Data Viz Today60: The Best Data Visualizations of 2020 — Featuring Lea PicaThe last episode of the year! In this episode, I have a little data viz tennis match with fellow podcaster Lea Pica. We found the most inspiring visualizations in four categories: climate change, COVID-19, racial injustice, and the US presidential election. Lea and I bounce back and forth describing our favorite in each category and the mastery on display for each. What was your favorite data viz this year? Shownotes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/602020-12-221h 04
Data Viz Today59: How Art Direction Can Make Your Work More Effective — Featuring Gabrielle MériteHave you ever created a successful graphic that really hit the mark and you felt like you were just spot on? Do you know how you can consistently replicate that feeling? If not, I have an idea of what you might be missing... Art direction! In this episode, we'll learn when you need art direction and when you don't, and how to use art direction to make sure you and your client work efficiently together to create graphics that hit the mark.2020-11-2434 min
Data Viz Today58: How to Turn Data Into an Experience — Featuring Miriam Quick & Stefanie PosavecHave you ever felt frustrated when you're trying to express important data to someone? Do the bars and pies just seem to fall flat? Try turning the data into an experience! In this episode, I try to bottle up Miriam Quick and Stefanie Posavec’s creative genius that they poured into their new book so that we can create data experiences in our work, too. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/582020-10-1321 min
Data Viz Today57: A Big Lesson Learned From My 100-Day ProjectI recently went on a journey to improve my design skills, and looking back, I learned a lot about how to build a skill and one big lesson about being a creator... Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/572020-09-3011 min
Data + LoveData + Love - Alli TorbanThis week I talk with Podcaster and Data Designer Alli TorbanCheck Priya out on Twitter at @AlliTorbanYou can find her website and portfolio at allitorban.comThe DataVizToday podcast can be found at https://dataviztoday.com/Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/datapluslove)2020-08-2636 min
Data Viz Today56: [Mini] 3 Ways to Enhance Your LegendChart legends are so key (ha!) to make your chart understandable, but you need to give it some thought and care. The goals of a good legend: informative and concise It shouldn’t be a puzzle. So how can we enhance the default legend to be more informative and concise without becoming a puzzle? Let’s jump into 3 ways to enhance your legend! Show notes2020-08-2509 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: 3 Invisible Tools to Help You Create FasterWhat are the invisible tools (i.e. processes or methods) that I use to help me create visualization more efficiently? I pinpointed 3 roadblocks that I encounter frequently, and in this episode, I share the invisible tools that I use to catapult over them and keep moving. Let’s go!2020-07-2810 min
Data Viz Today55: How to Get Your First Data Viz Freelance Project — Featuring Dr. Stephanie EvergreenAre you interested in freelancing or consulting in data visualization? Being your own boss as a full-time freelancer has its own set of unique challenges, and of course, many benefits! But from the outside looking in, it’s hard to know where to even start... How do you find clients? How do you know what to offer? How do you reach out and pitch to potential clients? How do you communicate the value that you bring and know what to charge? How do you ma...2020-06-0955 min
Data Viz Today54: How to Find New Collaborators and Execute a Complex Project — Featuring Shirley WuIn this episode, Shirley Wu shares the specific things that she looks for in potential collaborators, the steps she took to execute her innovative People of the Pandemic game, and how she overcame her moments of self-doubt under the mounting complexity of creating a game from scratch… Show notes2020-05-0529 min
Data Viz Today53: How to Sidestep These 3 Common Sources of FrustrationYou feel that mounting frustration in your body and you're about to lose your patience... what could have avoided this?! In this episode, I talk about 3 common sources of frustration and what you can do to sidestep them. Let's go! Show notes2020-03-3115 min
Data Viz Today52: How to Keep Your Reader Engaged with Thoughtful Annotations — Featuring Alyssa FowersI’ve noticed that many of the really engaging graphics have something in common: really thoughtful annotations. Usually, we think of annotations as a way to communicate context (like the title, subtitle, data labels) or point out outliers or specific events. But what if we thought of annotations as a tool beyond just context. What if we could use annotations to keep the reader more engaged? In this episode, we’ll learn about a recent project by Alyssa Fowers, where she visualized data about protests around the U.S. and the specific things she did to cr...2020-02-1817 min
Data Viz Today51: Our Advice to Data Viz Designers Just Starting OutI started this show almost two years ago, and I’ve been asking everyone that I interview: what’s your advice to data viz designers just starting out. Today, I gathered all their advice and wrapped up nicely into this one episode. Let's go! Show Notes2020-01-2814 min
Data Viz Today50: How to Fill Your Data Viz Toolbox — a New Years Resolution that won’t drive you crazyHappy new year! It's time for goal-setting, right? One small thing you can do throughout the year that will make you a better information designer (and not drive you crazy) is focus on building your data viz toolbox. I've been filling my toolbox over these past 50 episodes, and while I'll never be done filling it, the more I fill it, the easier my job is. In this episode, I’ll share with you the top 9 episodes that helped give me a structure for filling my toolbox. Here's to 2020! Show notes2019-12-3120 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: A technique to find the underlying emotions in your projectWhy do we care about finding the underlying emotion in our project? Because it can help guide us toward visualizing the data in a more meaningful way for our audience. It helps you hone in on their point of view and what they really want. In this bonus episode, I show a quick technique that I learned recently that helps me get to the underlying emotions quickly. Join my newsletter! (you'll get my guided brainstorming template in the welcome email, plus my top tips after each episode) Original data viz about...2019-12-1007 min
Data Viz Today49: How to Communicate the Value of Visualizing Data - Planetarians Show the WayHave you ever been asked the explain the value of visualizing data? I always jump to “it reveals insights you couldn’t see before!” But while I was at the Data2Dome conference last month, I had a light-bulb moment. Revealing insights is just part of the puzzle… In this episode, I share stories of how the planetarium community is using data to engage scientists and the general public in really innovative ways, and then I pull all the pieces together to see our value in a whole new light. Show notes Data2Dome...2019-11-1915 min
Data Viz Today48: How Connecting Two Charts Can Lead to Extra Impact - Featuring Mohamad WakedIt's no secret that creating two charts to show different views on a data set can be very powerful. But can connecting them somehow make it even more impactful? In this episode, we learn how Mohamad Waked used two charts with a captivating connective tissue to shine a light on a very important issue happening in the world right now. Show notes: www.dataviztoday.com/shownotes/482019-11-0509 min
Data Viz Today47: Charts Can Lie, But Here’s How You Remain Vigilant - Featuring Alberto CairoIt’s no secret that some charts lie. You might be thinking that only a subset of people who maliciously create a chart to serve their interests are guilty of this, but the truth is, there are many ways in which a chart can lie. You can make a mistake in your design, or use data that’s insufficient, or make conclusions that aren’t accurate. I’m guilty of this, and guess what… so is Alberto Cairo! He wrote a whole book on How Charts Lie based on his experience creating and reading charts. In this epi...2019-10-0820 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: Build Your Data Viz Board of DirectorsHaving a data viz mentor is a great resource! BUT... One person doesn't need to be everything to you. Maybe building a Board of Directors could be more helpful. I've built a virtual one that has seats for those who inspire me with - Creativity - Technical Skills - Communication - Introspectiveness - Fellow Data Viz Nerdery In this episode, I talk about who I've chosen for my DVBOD ;) and how I plan to keep in touch with what they're doing virtually. 2019-09-2407 min
Data Viz Today46: 3 Smart Tips for Building Your Portfolio - Featuring Dillon Winspear from Designed TodayAre you struggling with putting together an effective portfolio? I find it hard to know if I'm using my time efficiently. What do I need to include? When is it enough?!? Luckily, Dillon Winspear is here to help. He's reviewed hundreds of portfolios as a Senior UX Lead at Domo, and I asked for his top tips for building a portfolio. Listen in and learn how to impress your hiring manager even if you only have 10 minutes to spare! Show notes Subscribe to Dillon’s podcast Designed Today Follow Dillon Winspear on...2019-09-0319 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: The New Topic Sentence Formula That I'm Using for More Clarity***BONUS EPISODE! WOOHOO!*** I've been using a new topic sentence formula to help me gain clarity around my data visualizations, and I wanted to share it with you! I hope it's helpful. Let me know if you use something like this too. :)2019-08-1805 min
Data Viz Today45: How to Use Data Viz to Bring People Together and Feel Connected - Featuring Amy Cesal and Zander FurnasVisualization isn't always about revealing the patterns in our data. Sometimes it can be used to bring people together. This featured viz is a project by Amy Cesal and her now-husband Zander Furnas that they created for their wedding to connect their guests to them and each other. In this episode, we'll hear how this project was created, what they’d do differently in retrospect, and what specific questions you need to ask yourself before you start designing data viz to connect people. Show Notes Amy and Zander's Medium article all about the pro...2019-07-3019 min
Data Viz Today44: 3 Steps to Find & Strengthen Your Biggest Data Literacy Weakness - Featuring Ben Jones of Data Literacy LLCData Literacy is on everyone’s mind right now, but it always seemed like a nebulous topic to me. What is it exactly? How can you tell how literate you are? More importantly, how do you improve?! In this episode, we’ll learn why you need to assess yourself, no matter how literate you are, and how to identify the next step you need to take to improve on your weak spots today. Show Notes 17 Key Traits of Data Literacy PDF Data Literacy Assessment Dashboard Follow Ben Jones on Twit...2019-07-0220 min
Data Viz Today43: How to Visualize Paths Through Time with a Narrative Chart - Featuring Sahil Chinoy and Jessia MaEvery day, events are happening and people are moving through time making decisions. How do we visualize that? How do we visualize that for hundreds of people in a way that still makes sense? Even more challenging, how do we humanize that visualization? In this episode, we’ll learn how Sahil Chinoy and Jessia Ma from the New York Times solved this problem by combing hundreds of paths into a narrative chart. Show Notes Follow Sahil and Jessia on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2019-04-3011 min
Data Viz Today42: How to Use Audio to Enhance Your Data Storytelling - Featuring Duncan ClarkCan we combine explanatory and exploratory data viz? That's just what Duncan Clark and his team over at Flourish are trying to accomplish by giving everyone the ability to create a "Talkie." In this episode, find out what it is and how to create an effective one. Bonus: Duncan shares the one thing that would impress him in a data viz portfolio! Show Notes Follow Duncan and Flourish on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2019-03-1224 min
Data Viz Today41: [Mini] How to Go on a Color DietAre you terrified of color? Me too! :) Sometimes there are just too many choices. So I’m going on a color diet! What's a color diet? Well, for me, it means to be more conscious about how I use color in my visualizations to make sure that I’m using color to solve a problem. In this episode, we’ll talk about how a color diet can improve your work, plus a few tips on how to get the most out of the few colors that you do use. Show Notes Follow Data Viz To...2019-03-0508 min
Data Viz Today40: How to Add Small Multiples to Your Flow Charts - Featuring Chris DeMartiniHow can you add more information to your flow charts? Incorporate small multiples! In this episode, we learn about Chris DeMartini's data visualization that brings together small multiples and a flow chart (an NBA bracket) to add context to the flow. Find out how he created it, and how this technique can be applied elsewhere! Show Notes Chris DeMartini's blog posts Follow Chris on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2019-02-2608 min
Data Viz Today39: [Mini] 3 Design Tweaks that Make a Big DifferenceI’ve been on a mission to improve my design abilities, and there are three design tweaks that I’ve found to be really effective in making my visualizations look more professional. In this episode, I share these three tips that pack a punch! Show notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Join my weekly newsletter Resources page Courses2019-02-1207 min
Data Viz Today38: How to Use Writing to Improve Your Vizzing - Featuring Tiziana Alocci & Piero ZagamiCan you write your way to data viz success? It might be hard to see how writing could improve your visualizations but in this episode, I'll lay out 3 compelling reasons WHY you need to start writing today. Plus, I'll share easy 3 steps to get you started. This episode is inspired by the creative passion project Market Cafe Magazine that's created and independently published by Tiziana Alocci and Piero Zagami. Listen to what it takes to self-publish a data viz magazine! Show Notes Market Cafe Magazine Website Sign up for my weekly...2019-02-0513 min
Data Viz TodayBONUS: Setting Your 2019 Data Viz Goals + Data Stories 2018 Year in Review RebroadcastWhat a year… I was honored to join Enrico Bertini and Moritz Stefaner on their Data Stories podcast along with Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic and Jon Schwabish to discuss our highlights from the year and what we hope to see in 2019. This is a re-broadcast of that amazing episode. I also added an intro with some thoughts on my 2019 data viz goals and ideas on how you can tackle your own. I’d love to know what yours are! Here’s to another year filled with data viz projects, collaborations & learning… Feel free to download the PDF that...2018-12-191h 44
Data Viz Today37: How to Be Consistently Creative - A Journey to Find Info We Trust - Featuring RJ AndrewsI recently caught wind of a forthcoming data viz book all about the craft of being a data storyteller called Info We Trust by RJ Andrews, and I wanted to know all about it! So I hopped on the phone with RJ and got the scoop on how he cleverly structures his days to be the most creative data storyteller and author that he can be, plus he shared his essential components to being consistently creative, even when faced with a limited toolset or under a deadline. I hope you enjoy our chat, and you...2018-11-1330 min
Data Viz Today36: How to Experiment With Visualization & Handle Critiques - Featured Data Visualization by Richie LionellHave you ever pushed the boundaries of visualization? Did you receive any push-back? Do you want to experiment more with new chart types, but you’re not sure where to start or maybe you’re worried about people’s reactions? In this episode, we’ll hear how Richie Lionell created his thought-provoking data viz, how he handled criticism gracefully, and how you can get started creating something new in spite of potential negative feedback. Show Notes Senator Voting Patterns viz Sign up for my weekly newsletter! :) Follow Richie Lionell on Twitter F...2018-11-0610 min
Data Viz Today35: [Mini] 3 Techniques to Handle OverplottingWhat should you do when you plot your data points and realize they're all on top of each other?? I recently learned that this is called "overplotting" and in this episode, I'll offer 3 techniques to help you handle this problem so you can get back to analyzing & visualizing! Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Check out my Adobe Illustrator for Data Viz course!2018-10-3006 min
Data Viz Today34: How to Harness the Power & Beauty of a Box Plot - Featured Data Visualization by Eric William LinWhen's the last time you saw a box plot? How about the last time you created one?! It's been a long time for me, but this week's featured data visualization by Eric William Lin has convinced me to reconsider using this often clinical chart type as a beautiful and powerful way to tell a story. In this episode, we'll hear how Eric built his Kantar IIB Shortlisted viz, plus a few suggestions for how and when YOU could try a box plot! Show Notes Check out my Adobe Illustrator course! Eric's Viz...2018-10-1615 min
Data Viz Today33: [Mini] How to Discover Relevant Stories in Your Data by Taking an Editor’s PerspectiveHow can you consistently generate interesting visual story ideas from your data set? I’ve been on a quest to find a process for this, and I recently found guidance in a book for authors who are trying to get their non-fiction short stories published by editors. I used what I learned to create a worksheet that brings me from a basic stat to eight story ideas! In this episode, you’ll learn about the reasoning behind it and hear it in action! Show Notes ^Download the worksheet in the show notes! :) NEW COUR...2018-10-0909 min
Data Viz Today32: How to Add Impact & Inform Your Reader by Handing Over the Power - Featured Data Visualization by Ludovic TavernierHow can you add interaction to make your story more impactful and memorable? In this episode, host Alli Torban explores specific interaction techniques that you can try in your visualizations to more effectively inform your reader. Featured data visualization project by Ludovic Tavernier perfectly shows how handing over the power to your reader can create an engaging experience. Check out my Adobe Illustrator course! Show Notes Ludovic's Viz Follow Ludovic on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-10-0211 min
Data Viz Today31: How to Decide If Your Visualization Should Be 3D - Featured Data Visualization by Ryan BaumannWhen is it beneficial to visualize your data in 3D? We know that people love the “cool” factor of 3D, but I think most people know to avoid it now. But in which cases could it be useful in understanding your data? In this episode, host Alli Torban explores the pros and cons of 3D viz. Featured data visualization project by Ryan Baumann shows a beautiful way to make custom 3D visualizations of spatial athletic data. Show Notes Ryan's Athlete Data Viz Site Follow Ryan Baumann on Twitter Follow Data Viz Toda...2018-09-2513 min
Data Viz Today30: [Mini] How to Use Help Desk Tactics to Build More Useful VisualizationsDo you ever have a client that's not sure what they need, and you also feel at a loss on how to visualize their goal in the most useful way? In this episode, I talk about how I'm bringing back my old Help Desk skills to break through that wall (or vizzer's block ;D) and dig up useful dashboard ideas. Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-09-1809 min
Data Viz Today29: 3 Essential Steps To Finding Your Unique Style - Featured Data Visualization by Federica FragapaneHow can you find your unique data viz style? I've started my quest to find mine, which I hope will help me find my voice and create work that’s more representative of my point of view. I know it’s not something that happens overnight, but what can I do to get started? Featured data visualization project by Federica Fragapane provides plenty of inspiration for how to get on the right path. Show Notes Federica's Portfolio Follow Federica on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-09-1116 min
Data Viz Today28: How to Build a Connection With Your Data Through Original Visualization - Featured Data Visualization by Sonja KuijpersIs it ever beneficial to stray from the usual chart types and create your own original, novel data visualization? i.e. A viz where you decide what each free-form shape, line, and color represents. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores how this technique can lead to a deeper connection to your data. Featured data visualization by Sonja Kuijpers perfectly illustrates how creating an original visualization can turn overwhelm into clarity. Show Notes Sonja's Website Follow Sonja on Twitter! Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter!2018-09-0412 min
Data Viz Today27: [Mini] 3 Things I’ll Try To Do Better After Reading Tufte’s BookI loved reading Edward Tufte's “The Visual Display of Quantitative Information” for the first time as part of the Data Vis Book Club! He's known as a pioneer in the data viz field but has also received criticism for his "my way or the highway" approach. I highly recommend reading his book, not necessarily as a data viz rulebook, but as a valuable perspective to consider. In this episode, I talk about the 3 things that I'll try to do better in my data visualizations now that I've read Tufte's book. What about you? Show Notes Edwa...2018-08-2806 min
Data Viz Today26: How to Develop Your Design Eye & Transform Your Work - Featured Data Visualization by Jane PongBeing able to see the difference between well-designed and poorly-designed data viz is half the battle! But when your work always looks amateurish to you, it can be really frustrating. In this episode, host Alli Torban identifies specific ways that you can close the gap between your good taste and your developing skills. Featured data visualization by Jane Pong perfectly illustrates how dense data can still be designed in a clean and engaging way, and I take notes from her to remake my viz from a past episode! Show Notes Jane's Website Follow...2018-08-2114 min
Data Viz Today25: How to Design a More Inviting Data Viz - Featured Data Visualization by Sarah BartlettHow can you create a data viz that feels inviting to your reader? Host Alli Torban explores the specific design elements that can offer your reader an enjoyable experience. Featured data visualization by Sarah Bartlett perfectly demonstrates how investing in an inviting design can lead to a pleasant, informative, and memorable experience. Show Notes Sarah's Website Sarah on Twitter Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-08-1415 min
Data Viz Today24: [Mini] 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Viz for FreeHave you ever heard these words? "We don't have a budget for this work, but we can offer you exposure!" Whether you're more in the graphic design camp or the data journalism camp, you'll probably run up against this at some point in your freelancing journey. In this episode, I offer 3 questions to ask yourself before agreeing to do data viz work for free so that you can protect your time and engage in projects that are truly a win-win. Show Notes Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on In...2018-08-0711 min
Data Viz Today23: How to Visualize Streaks for Pattern Analysis and Perspective - Featured Data Visualization by Frank ElavskyHow can visualizing streaks in your data help you find patterns and gain perspective? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways you can see your data in a new way by highlighting the period of time that something is happening - a streak. Featured data visualization by Frank Elavsky perfectly demonstrates how streaks are not only beautiful but can also reveal patterns and new questions. Show Notes Article with Viz Frank on Twitter Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-07-3112 min
Data Viz Today22: [Mini] How My Design Process Has Improved Since Episode #1How has my data viz design process changed over the past 5 months? Well, it was pretty non-existent to start with, but after interviewing 20 top data viz designers, I've learned a lot and now have a much more defined design process. In this episode, I share my current 7-step process and would love to hear what yours is like so we can learn from each other! Show Notes Data Viz Today Twitter Data Viz Today Instagram2018-07-2411 min
Data Viz Today21: How to Gain Insights by Identifying Intervals in Your Line Chart - Featured Data Visualization by Ben JonesHow can segmenting your line chart into intervals help you gain insights into your data? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways you can visually break up your line chart into intervals as a way to quickly see your data from a different perspective. Example questions you could answer: Which marketing campaign had the greatest effect on sales? Does varying the basketball shot clock length change how many points are scored? Featured data visualization by Ben Jones perfectly models how this technique can visually communicate a relationship between two metrics. Show Notes Ben's Website Be...2018-07-1712 min
Data Viz Today20: How to Use Isochrone Maps for Art or Advanced Analysis - Featured Data Visualization by Topi TjukanovWhat are isochrone maps and how can you use them for advanced analysis or data art? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways you can create and use isochrones for personal or work challenges. Featured data visualization project by Topi Tjukanov perfectly models how isochrones can bring out interesting insights. Show Notes Topi's Website Topi's Twitter Data Viz Today Twitter2018-07-1012 min
Data Viz Today19: [Mini] How to See Your Data Viz With Fresh EyesHow can you see your data viz with fresh eyes? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways you can view your work from a new perspective when you're short on time! Show Notes Download the Printable Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-07-0306 min
Data Viz Today18: How to Start a Passion Project That Hones Your Skills & Opens New Doors - Featured Data Visualization by Amy CesalHow can you start your own data viz passion project that hones your skills and opens the door to new opportunities? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways you can find and execute a passion project that brings you joy and growth. Featured data visualization project by Amy Cesal perfectly models how a passion project can be fun, bring new opportunities, and grow your skills! Show Notes Amy's Website Amy's Twitter Data Viz Today's Twitter2018-06-2613 min
Data Viz Today17: 3 Ways to Amp-Up Your Scatter Plot! Featured Data Visualization by Maarten LambrechtsHow can you take your scatter plot to the next level? Host Alli Torban dives into 3 ways you can layer onto a scatter plot to enhance your reader’s understanding of the data. Show Notes Maarten's Website Maarten's Twitter Data Viz Today's Twitter2018-06-1910 min
Data Viz Today16: How to Persuade & Set Goals Using Simulations - Featured Data Visualization by Gabrielle LaMarr LeMeeHow can visualizations help people make decisions and set goals? Use a simulation/what-if analysis and visualize the results! Host Alli Torban dives into why simulations are so powerful in persuading people and how to know if your client could benefit from a what-if visualization! Show notes Gabrielle's Website Gabrielle's Twitter Data Viz Today Twitter2018-06-1213 min
Data Viz Today15: 3 Things I Learned From The Economist Data Team - Featured Data Visualization by The Economist Data TeamWhat can we learn from the top-notch Data Team at the Economist? Host Alli Torban dives into the 3 things that she learned from their team as they put together their predictive model for the U.S. midterm elections. (Hint: the complexities of predictive model building, visualizing uncertainty, and annotations!) Shownotes The Economist's Midterm Election Predictive Model Follow The Economist's Data Team on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-06-0514 min
Data Viz Today14: How to Use Visual Metaphor to Evoke Emotion - Featured Data Visualization by Valentina D'EfilippoHow can you use visual metaphor to evoke emotion? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways to find a visual metaphor that's right for your data. Featured data viz by Valentina D'Efilippo models how to use visual metaphor to create a beautiful, meaningful, and memorable data viz. Shownotes Valentina's Website Follow Valentina on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-05-2214 min
Data Viz Today13: How to Enhance Your Portfolio with Maps - Featured Data Visualization by Hyemi SongHow can you enhance your portfolio with maps? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways to get started making your own maps! Featured data viz by Hyemi Song models how to use a beautifully styled map to show emerging spatial patterns. Course: “Make Your First Custom Map in Under 30 Minutes” Show Notes Hyemi's Website Follow Hyemi on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter 2018-05-1510 min
Data Viz Today12: How to Encourage Exploration Without Interactivity - Featured Data Visualization by Krisztina SzucsHow can you encourage a reader to explore your data visualization without adding any interactivity? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways to make an exploratory static data viz - no coding necessary! Featured viz by Krisztina Szucs models how to encourage exploration by visualizing the rating and profit of past box office hits. Show Notes Krisztina's Website Follow Krisztina on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-05-0815 min
Data Viz Today11: How to Make Your Sports Viz Appeal to a Wider Audience - Featured Data Visualization by Ben MathesonHow can you make your sports viz appeal to a wider audience to include those passively interested in your sport? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways to pull out the strategy and nuance of your sports data. Featured viz by Ben Matheson models how to appeal to a wide audience by visualizing the strategy behind the run/rest decisions of Iditarod mushers. Show Notes Ben's Website Follow Ben on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-05-0111 min
Data Viz Today10: How to Win Client Buy-In for Your Designs - Featured Data Visualizations by Pooja Gandhi & Adam CrahenHow can you secure client buy-in for your data viz designs? Host Alli Torban dives into specific ways to practice that will bring your data visualization from good to great. Featured vizzes by Pooja Gandhi and Adam Crahen are perfect examples of a collaborative process that will elevate your designs and ultimately help you gain client buy-in. Show Notes Data Duo Website Follow Pooja on Twitter Follow Adam on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-04-2413 min
Data Viz Today09: How to Humanize Your Data Viz - Featured Data Visualization by Rodrigo Menegat & Vinicius SueiroHow can we approach a dataset that will make people feel connected to it? How can we humanize our data viz? Host Alli Torban dives into these questions by examining Rodrigo Menegat and Vinicius Sueiro's data visualization called "All the Government Barbecues," which won a Kantar Information is Beautiful Award in 2017. Show Notes Follow Rodrigo on Twitter Vinicius' Website Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-04-1715 min
Data Viz Today08: How to Dare to Use a Radar Chart - Featured Data Visualization by Zak GeisThis episode features Zak Geis' eye-catching data viz inspired by radar charts. This is a difficult chart type to work with! In this episode, host Alli Torban dives into its limitations and how you can best implement it. Shownotes Follow Zak on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-04-1016 min
Data Viz Today07: How to Annotate Like a Boss! Featured Data Visualization by Susie LuDo you add annotations to your data viz? Susie Lu's data visualization presented Emmy nominations in a clear and concise way thanks to her smart annotation choices. Susie is the Queen of annotations - she's the creator of the popular D3.js library that gives you the ability to customize annotations and labels. In this episode, host Alli Torban dives into the important aspects of an annotation, and how you can best implement them in your work. Show Notes Susie's Website Follow Susie on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-04-0316 min
Data Viz Today06: How to Create an Engaging Data Viz - Featured Data Visualization by Jim VallandinghamHow can you get people engaged in your data viz? Jim Vallandingham visualized how long it took people to draw over 50 million doodles for Google Quick Draw, which resulted in a fun and engaging data viz. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores how you can create an engaging data viz too. Show Notes Jim's Website Follow Jim on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-03-2711 min
Data Viz Today05: How to Take Inspiration from Art - Featured Data Visualization by Guney SoykanHave you ever been inspired by a piece of art and wanted to incorporate it into your work? Guney Soykan is an award-winning art director who visualized the tenure of world leaders through composite portraits. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores what we can learn from artists like Guney and how we can take inspiration from art and apply it to our data viz. Show Notes Guney's Website Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-03-2012 min
Data Viz Today04: How to Find Answers in Survey Results - Featured Data Visualization by Shirley WuDo you need to find answers in survey results? Shirley Wu visualized the results of a survey of 981 data viz creators' frustrations and found insights with her unique techniques. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores how you can find answers and visualize your survey results too! Show Notes Shirley's Website Shirley's Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-03-1313 min
Data Viz Today03: How to Tell a Story Through Movement - Featured Data Visualization by Pierre MassatAre you trying to tell a story with your data? Maybe you can find the story by focusing on where the movement is happening. Pierre Massat brought the familial relationships of Kenyan elephants to life with his data viz. It's a compelling example of using movement to tell a story. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores how you can do the same. Get the printable mentioned in the show - here. Show Notes Pierre's Website Follow Pierre on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-03-0810 min
Data Viz Today02: How to Find & Represent Seasonality in Data - Featured Data Visualization by Nadieh Bremer & Zan ArmstrongHave you ever tried to visualize seasonality? It's a fascinating topic. Nadieh Bremer and Zan Armstrong visualized the seasonal patterns of U.S. births in their award-winning data viz. In this episode, host Alli Torban explores how you can find and represent seasonality in data too. Show Notes Nadieh's Website Follow Nadieh on Twitter Zan's Website Follow Zan on Twitter Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter2018-03-0610 min
Data Viz Today01: How to Achieve Your Data Viz Goals - Featured Data Visualization by Lisa Charlotte RostWhat should you do before you start a data visualization? Define your goal! Lisa Charlotte Rost created the perfect mental model to help you define and achieve your data viz goals. In this episode, host Alli Torban dives into how you can use this mental model to ensure your design decisions are well-guided and thought out. Show Notes Lisa on the Datawrapper Blog Lisa's Website Follow Lisa on Twitter! Follow Data Viz Today on Twitter!2018-02-2808 min
Data Viz Today00: Introduction to Data Viz Today!What are data visualizations? How can you get better at creating them? Is this show for you? Find out with your host Alli Torban in this intro episode! Show Notes: www.dataviztoday.com/shownotes/002018-02-2601 min