Tips and Tricks

Data visualization is a hot topic in the field of research and evaluation right now. At the recent Visitor Studies Association conference, a workshop, session, and dining discussion were dedicated to data visualization and a focused interest group formed. The American Evaluation Association provides a wealth of information on the topic on its website.

Simplicity is the tip for data visualization. All of the names in data visualization can get behind simplicity, including:

• Stephanie Evergreen writes extensively on the topic of keeping data visualization simple and blogs regularly at Evergreen Data. She also recently published Presenting Data Effectively: Communicating Your Findings for Maximum Impact.

• Stephen Few has written two must-read books on data visualization: Show Me the Numbers and Information Dashboard Design. While his web presence is less prolific than Stephanie Evergreen’s, these books are worth tracking down.

Yet, while simplicity is the #1 tip for data visualization, I leave you with this poignant quote on Perceptual Edge’s website:

Seek simplicity and distrust it. 

-Alfred North Whitehead

Author

Amanda Krantz
CARE Secretary
Senior Associate, Randi Korn & Associates, Inc.