TAPESTRY CONFERENCE 2015 RECAP

This year I had the pleasure of attending the Tapestry Conference. The event was full of data, storytelling, and networking.  I learned so much and I'm really thankful I had this opportunity!  In this post I'm going to go through some of my key takeaways.

"When we try new things many of them will fail!" -Ellie Fields

Hannah Fairfield - New York Times Senior Graphics Editor

When making data visualizations:

• Layering information is critical
• Design to reveal
• Quiet clarity can be powerful
• Beware of the false reveal
• Edit wisely, mobile requires it

Q: How should projections be shown?

A: Always show what you know and don't know and be sure to LABEL them clearly. 

Short Stories - Chad Skelton, Ben Jones, Katie Peek, RJ Andrews, Kennedy Elliot

• Make data visualizations relevant and engaging by personalizing the data
• Get users to look at the big picture by first showing themselves
• Anticipate the needs of your audience
• Make visualizations clear by adding labels, but not too many!
• 7 data story types - changes over time/time series, drill down, zoom out, contrast, intersection, factors, outliers

Kim Rees - Periscopic Head of Information Visualization

The Method:

• Modeled in historic reality - start with a simple truth
• Use the inverted journalistic pyramid (summary, supporting information, background)
• Satisfy the desire to know - allow users to answer their questions (via filters or key findings section)
• Shared exteriority - add an introduction for the data

Michael Austin - Author and Provost

• Storytelling is a human universal
• "Successful narratives are those that introduce and resolve our anxiety" and likely include excitment, exaggeration, and speculation