These are the notes for Class 2 of Telling Stories with Data, on March 22nd, 2017.

1. Making Charts from Spreadsheets
Telling Stories with Data: Class #2
March 22th, 2017
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2. Quiz 1.
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4. Housekeeping
go to https://docs.google.com
...and you should see this.
If you don't, you'll need to
get a Google Docs account.
What is a Visualization?
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5. Visualizations are
visual.
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6. Visualizations summarize.
288,987 census blocks, 9.562 million people. 1 picture.
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7. Visualizations contain
Information.
• Data - facts or statements
• Information - relationships
• Knowledge - usefulness
• Wisdom - real meaning
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8. Visualizations are
for humans.
That big white triangle
does not exist.
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9. Today's Todos:
—Make a Spreadsheet
—Make a Chart
—Use data to tell a Story.
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10. And now,
The most exciting slide ever...
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11. A Brief History
of The Spreadsheet.
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12. Columns of Numbers
(This is not my handwriting.)
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13. Accounting Worksheets
(This is also
not my handwriting.)
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14. Computers
They're computing.
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15. Digital
Computers
Apple II, ca. 1977
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16. Visicalc (1979)
"A magic sheet of paper that
can perform calculations and
recalculations."
— Bob Frankston, Creator
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17. Lotus 1-2-3 (1983)
Called 1-2-3 for three things:
1. A spreadsheet
2. A database
3. A charting tool
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18. Let's not say PC
compatible.
Instead, let's
say '1-2-3
compatible.'
— Infoworld February 27, 1984
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19. Microsoft Excel (~1993)
I told you this would be exciting.
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20. Google Sheets (~2012)
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21. Why Spreadsheets?
Agricultural account tablet in
Sumerian referring to flocks and
herds. ca. 2400 BCE.
Harry Ransom Center
University of Texas at Austin
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22. Create a New Spreadsheet
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23. Data.
http://bit.ly/data101charts
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24. Make A Copy.
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25. Live Demo #1.
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26. Data.
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27. Live Demo #2.
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28. Charts.
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29. Data...
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30. ...Stories.
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31. Why Charts?
Charts are shortcuts
to understanding.
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32. Changes Humans Notice
• Color
• Area
• Angle
• Length
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33. ColorUse for categories
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34. AreaUse to show differences
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35. Angles
Use to highlight
convergence or divergence
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36. Length
Use for comparisons
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37. A 5% change matters
• 5% lighter
• 5% Bigger
• 5% Rotated
• 5% Longer
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38. What to use and when.
• Color: Indicate Categories
• Area: Highlight Differences
• Angle: Show Convergence
• Length: Compare Differences
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39. The parts
of a chart.
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47. Remove Chart Junk
Only keep what you need
to tell your story.
The rest is distraction.
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48. Live Demo #3
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49. Choosing
a chart type.
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50. Ask a question:
What type of fruit do I like?
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51. Pie Charts
For comparing percentages
—No more than 4 or 5 slices.
—Limited accuracy.
—Easy to understand.
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52. Ask a question:
What fruit do I eat the most of?
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53. Bar Chart
For comparing values
—Can have many values.
—Good accuracy.
—Easy to understand.
—Zeros show up.
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54. Ask a question:
What fruit did I eat more of last week?
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55. Bar Charts
For comparing values
—Can have many values.
—Good accuracy.
—Easy to understand.
—Zeros show up.
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56. Bar Charts
For comparing values
—Can have many values.
—Good accuracy.
—Easy to understand.
—Zeros show up.
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57. Ask a question:
What week did I eat more fruit?
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58. Stacked Bars
For comparing totals
—Harder to understand.
—Good when you don't care
about the individual values
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59. Different charts tell different stories.
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60. Pie Charts
Comparing percentages
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61. Ask a question:
What percent of the fruit I eat are apples?
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62. Pie Charts
Comparing a part to the whole
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63. Pie Charts
Contextual Colors
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64. Pie Charts
Incorrect Colors
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65. Pie Charts
Too Subtle Colors
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66. Color can help or hinder telling your story.
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67. No. Just...no.
We read charts
left to right;
bottom to top.
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68. Charts vs. Graphs
A Chart shows quantitative
change over one axis
A Graph compares quantitative
change over two axis
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69. Ask a question:
How does my fruit consumption change over time?
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70. Live Demo #4.
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72. Line Graphs
A continuous value over time
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73. Smoothed Line Graph
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74. Ask a question:
What does my annual fruit consumption look like?
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75. Many Values: Line Graph
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76. Many Values: Smooth Line Graph
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77. Many Values: Histogram
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78. Area Graph
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79. Sometimes,
the data needs help.
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80. Live Demo #5
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81. Line Chart
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82. Quiz 1.
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84. Homework: Due Monday, before class
Create a Google Sheets visualization about foods you like.
datastories.davidnewbury.com/homework/homework_1.html
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