Hi, I'm Richard

Why I keep this diary...

Over the years I've sat through lots of presentations (and given a few) where audiences died trying to understand badly presented data analysis.

It's a heart breaker.

So a while ago I stepped outside of the numbers world and took a night school class in graphic design. I can't pretend it made me a designer, but understanding a little more about colour theory, typography and grids has really helped in presenting my work.

I also learned to respect design as a storytelling tool.

This page is a personal diary of visualisation (viz) side projects. Some attracted lots of public attention and some got none, but I hope they're all getting better. Data viz is more art than science and I'm on a seemingly endless learning curve.

I include notes on software and workflow mostly because I've discovered there is no perfect toolset for data visualisation.

Your method will depend entirely on the data, the point you're trying to make, where the viz is going to be presented and the time you have available.

Critique is welcome, I try to obey just a few rules:

• If viz needs reading instructions, it's not good enough
• If viz has no obvious takeaway, it's ineffective
• If viz doesn't stimulate learning, it's pointless

Our job as data analysts is to simplify the complex.

Enjoy :)