Data Visualization as Narrative?

RESEARCH PRESENTATION

IML 502

BESSIE CHU | JANA JUGINOVIC

PURELY VISUALTraditional modes for narrative and persuasion largely centered on the the raw powers of image and sound

But what comes next?

The Vietnam War became referred to as McNamara’s War because of his persuasion of Congress and American

people often with charts and graphs.

DATA PERSUASIONSimilar narrative modes we see more often cite data to entices the emotional rather than the rational for understanding

Perpetuating Myths?

DATA VISUALIZATION

Can it be used as a narrative mode of persuasion for a mass audience?

MYTH # 1Living in a ever-increasinglyviolent world

FACTLiving in a Less violent World

Violent gun crime has dropped dramatically in the past two decades, but the majority of Americans think it's more of a problem now than ever.Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/07/gun-crime-drops-but-americans-think-its-worse/2139421/

FACTLiving in a Less violent World

The number of people killed in battle – calculated per 100,000 population – has dropped by 1,000-fold over the centuries as civilizations evolved. Before there were organized countries, battles killed on average more than 500 out of every 100,000 people. In 19th century France, it was 70. In the 20th century with two world wars and a few genocides, it was 60. Now battlefield deaths are down to three-tenths of a person per 100,000.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/22/world-less-violent-stats_n_1026723.html

MYTH # 2A Homogenous Unchanging AfricaIn Poverty

FACT

• Equatorial Guinea per capita income $36,600• South Africa per capita income $10,000• Swaziland per capita income $4,500• Burundi per capita income $300

A Complex Continent In Movement

“Of course, these regional averages obscure big differences among countries. In Ethiopia, income is only $800 a year per person. In Botswana it’s nearly $12,000. You see this huge variation within countries too: Life in a major urban area like Nairobi looks nothing like life in a rural Kenyan village. You should look skeptically at anyone who treats an entire continent as an undifferentiated mass of poverty and disease.”

http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/

Source: CIA World Factbook

FACTA Complex Continent In Movement

NAIROBI 1969 NAIROBI 2009

http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/

FLAT FACTSNumbers and text are not compelling without a visual narrative?

Not convincing enough?

COUNTERNARRATIVES

What Are Some Examples of Data Visualization To Create Counter Narratives That Can Have Mass

Appeal?

CURRENT USESMost Data Visualization in popular understanding are Infographics or used internally for companies to solve problems

Too Shallow and Too Deep?

MARKET-Y INFOGRAPHICS

INTERNAL (EXPERT) USE ONLY

MASS APPEAL DATA VIZ?

Is There a Methodology We Can Create Use to Create Visualization for

Mass Public Consumption?

Storytelling for (Almost) Everyone

HANS ROSLING GAPMINDERStorytelling with Data

http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen

POST-SANDY HOOK DEATHSVisualizations from news organizations

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/22/gun-deaths-us-newtown_n_2935686.html

PRIOInteractive Small Arms Trafficking Data

http://nisatapps.prio.org/armsglobe/index.php

PrinciplesEasy to UnderstandClearly labeled and Informative

NarrativeEither with Movement, Audio, etc.

RememberContrast, Repetitive, Alignment, Proximity

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Income Inequality in the 21st Century

Capital grows faster than labor income. Wealthy people control the majority of capital ergo wealthy people increase their wealth more quickly than wage earners and income inequality rises. If this trend continues, the future will look like the 19th century, where elites have predominantly inherited their wealth rather than earned it.

Income Inequality, Europe versus United States

Wealth Distribution of Capital, 1870-2100

Top Inheritance Tax Rates, 1900 - 2011

IML 502 EXPERIMENTALWhere the Top 100 Richest Have Citizenship

IML 502 EXPERIMENTALSource of Wealth from of World’s 100 Richest

Thank You

A Few Follow-Up Questions…

• How can we create a counter narrative to the violent world with data viz?

• What are some of the other methodologies to employ for a mass audience?

• Who should use these tactics?• What are some of the pitfalls and

dangers?