1. Picturing Your Data is Better Than
1,000 Numbers: Data Visualization
Techniques for Social Change
#12NTCviz
Beth Kanter
Johanna Morariu
Brian Kennedy
2. #12NTCviz Session Wiki:
http://nonprofits-data-visualization.wikispaces.com/
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 1
1,000 Numbers
3. Agenda
Opening
Data/Infoviz for:
1) Measuriung the Networked Nonprofit:
Creating a Data-Informed Culture
Beth Kanter
2) Data, Assessment, Learning, and Management
Johanna Morariu
3) Communications and Advocacy
Brian Kennedy
Closing
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 2
1,000 Numbers
4. Pulse of the room
● Organization budget
● Staffing for data collection / management
● Use of data / data visualizations
● Self assessment
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 3
1,000 Numbers
15. Data Informed
Successful social media or
program decisions start with
measurement
16. Where is your organization?
Data
Delight Informed
Confusion
Fear
Denial
2-3 volunteers for each stage to come to the front of
the room and hold a sign!
17. Creating a Data-Informed Culture—
How Your Organization can
Embrace the Data and Use What it
Can Teach You.
29. Stages of a Data Informed Culture
CRAWL WALK RUN FLY
Data collection, but Data from multiple Has org wide KPIs or
No formal not consistent or results
sources
reporting shared between Organization wide
System and structure
Lacks consistent departments dashboard with
for collection
data collection customized views
Discussed at staff
Lacks systems Data not linked to Data is shared across
meetings
Decisions are results, could be departments
Uses data for
passion-driven wrong data Formal process for
planning and
decisions analyzing, discussing, and
Rarely makes applying results
decisions to improve Data visualization for
reports and reflection
30. Becoming Data-Informed: Change Is Easy
With Baby Steps
• Begin at the end – discuss and identify
results
• Curator of metrics
• Use experiments to help you evolve
• Get started with a small data collection
project that is high priority in your
organization
• Learn from your results
32. Human brains are wired to speak
and understand spoken language.
People have to be taught to
write and read.
Understanding the written word is not a
natural human ability; but human brains do
innately process shapes.
For a great discussion of these—and related—topics, I recommend Designing with the
Mind in Mind (2010) by Jeff Johnson—especially chapter four, Reading is Unnatural.
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 31
1,000 Numbers
34. Design Principles
1) Maximize data:ink
Example taken from Data-Ink Ratio, Infovis Wiki,
http://www.infovis-wiki.net/index.php/Data-Ink_Ratio
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 33
1,000 Numbers
35. Design Principles
2) Make color and contrast work for you:
Emphasis
Clarity
Unity
Flow
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 34
1,000 Numbers
36. client colors
color scheme
www.design-
seeds.com
Figure 9: Awareness and Knowledge Changes Seen by Participants (n = 42)
translation into
design element
Slide 35
37. Design Principles
3) Allow the purpose to select the medium
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 36
1,000 Numbers
38. Design Principles
4) Classic graphic design principles
Balance Rhythm Proportion Dominance Unity
For a great discussion of these principles I recommend
The Principles of Design by Joshua David McClurg-Genevese, available at
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/principles_of_design/
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 37
1,000 Numbers
40. Data/infoviz strategic learning examples
1) Maps—relationships, networks, systems
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 39
1,000 Numbers
41. Data/infoviz strategic learning examples
1) Maps—relationships, networks, systems
For more information about Eva’s work and Net-Map visit
http://netmap.wordpress.com/
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 40
1,000 Numbers
43. Data/infoviz strategic learning examples
3) Dashboards
YTD Benchmark
% (out of n) of training participants who report increased knowledge /
understanding
85% (120) 75%
Training
% (out of n) of training participants who report increased likelihood
they will take action
73% (120) 70%
# of times organizations report using our materials or request
additional training
42 25
Publications
# of publications / resources downloaded 117 50
# of citations / references made to publications / resources 62 25
# of individuals who request publications, resources, or interviews 29 25
Avg. rating of partnerships BY PARTNERS 3.75 3.50
Partnerships
Avg. rating of partnership BY STAFF 3.53 3.50
# of times partners reach out to us for information, recommendations,
materials, or assistance
28 25
% (out of n) of targets who report they will take action as a result of a
34% 65%
Advocacy
meeting
Avg. rating of perceived success of advocacy meetings 2.63 3.50
# of policymakers or policy shapers who reach out for information,
materials, or assistance
26 25
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 42
1,000 Numbers
44. Data/infoviz strategic learning examples
4) Research and evaluation findings
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 43
1,000 Numbers
45. Data/infoviz strategic learning examples
4) Research and evaluation findings
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 44
1,000 Numbers
50. Embrace and use workaday vizes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/attawayjl/5520057227/
51.
52. Toward more effective communication:
One organization’s evolution
• In the beginning, we were all about words…lots and lots of them
• Academic-style communication that challenged accomplished academics
A 63-word sentence?
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 51
1,000 Numbers
53. We learn more deeply from words &
pictures than from words alone
• This is known as the “multimedia principle”
• It is applied by the masters of communication…the advertising industry
• In TV ads, the magic moment is called “audio-visual lock”
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 52
1,000 Numbers
54. Communicating why we need
The Children’s Movement of California
• Children clearly are not a priority in public policymaking today
• Lobbying dollars, campaign contributions and large organized groups of
voters are the sources of power in politics today
• Kids need a source of power
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 53
1,000 Numbers
55. Communicating why we need
The Children’s Movement of California
• Children clearly are not a priority in public policymaking today
• Lobbying dollars, campaign contributions and large organized groups of
voters are the sources of power in politics today
• Kids need a source of power
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 54
1,000 Numbers
56. Communicating why we need
The Children’s Movement of California
• The broad support for children in our society has been too diffuse to have
the impact it should on California’s priorities
• Connecting the many, many organizations and people that are
pro-kid can change the game
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 55
1,000 Numbers
57. Adding dimension, meaning &
usefulness through data design
The 2010 California County Scorecard of Children’s Well-Being challenge:
• Track 26 data indicators, for each of the state’s 58 counties, over
time and by race/ethnicity
• Aim to surface bright spots
• The raw data:
I’m actually only 1/13
of the raw data
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 56
1,000 Numbers
58. Adding dimension, meaning &
usefulness through data design
• Calculated “Bottom, Middle, Top” terciles
• Added Rural/Urban and Income Level designations
• Unique county “fingerprints” of child well-being emerged
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 57
1,000 Numbers
59. Adding dimension, meaning &
usefulness through data design
• Where are other counties like mine doing better?
Picturing Your Data is Better Than
Slide 58
1,000 Numbers
60. Evaluate This Session!
Each entry is a chance to win an NTEN engraved iPad!
or Online using at www.nten.org/ntc/eval
61. Picturing Your Data is Better Than
1,000 Numbers: Data Visualization
Techniques for Social Change
#12NTCviz
Beth Kanter
Johanna Morariu
Brian Kennedy
