The Art of Data Visualization Video

            This video begins with the quote “every single pixel should testify directly to context,” by Edward Tufte. He believes that design is about the viewer and how they reason with the content. If the words aren’t truthful, then the piece would not be valid. He believes that all products or art, whether beautiful of not, should represent some form of the truth. It is about showing information. He talks about how some of the first forms of art and information are written in stone, and how we see them today in Google maps. This is interesting to think about. It is interesting to think about how something so old and what seems to be outdated can be influencing out information today. He says that the development of real science is one of the most important things. Galileo, through his telescope, drew pictures of the sun and where the sun spots were. He says that the history of visualizing data is very similar to and connected to the history of science.

            Data visualization designs depend on what you, the artist, have to say about the topic. It also depends on the reader, who comes with their own context and biases. Third, is the data itself and what it has to say and that it informs the truth. A lot if information can be communicated very quickly because our brains work so quickly and that are designed to recognize patterns. There is also an emotional impact on the piece of art. Presenting the information with the visuals will impact how a person feels about the work.

            Josh Smith in the video said that truth changes. There is so much data that is a “clue to the truth.” The first step is to dig really deep into the date and the information and find each key point and create a hierarchy. Once everything is put together, the information should make sense. It is supposed to translate data from something that is complicated to something that is simple and it communicates a message that would have taken someone hours to digest and understand. Visual data makes it easier for the viewers to understand data and connect it.

            Data visualization is also supposed to be a revelation, to show us something that has never been seen before. It is about showing people something they have never seen before in a way that they have never seen it. Part of it is leaving it open to interpretation, and part of it is not knowing exactly about the system. The creator of the visual data may have ideas about how the system may be growing and changing, but they are just sharing their ideas and putting something together. It is important to respect your audience. Its purpose is to learn something not to confirm something.