Comments on: Poll: Will Data Always Be Just For Geeks? http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/ Strength in Numbers Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:35:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Google Analytics—Data Analysis for One and All | Significant Info http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-31715 Google Analytics—Data Analysis for One and All | Significant Info Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:16:16 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-31715 [...] June 2009, data visualization blogger Nathan Yau of FlowingData ran a poll asking, “Will Data Always Be Just for Geeks?” A whopping two out of three participants said No. Furthermore, of the people commenting on [...] [...] June 2009, data visualization blogger Nathan Yau of FlowingData ran a poll asking, “Will Data Always Be Just for Geeks?” A whopping two out of three participants said No. Furthermore, of the people commenting on [...]

]]> By: Janet Robbins http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-31657 Janet Robbins Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:49:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-31657 Nicely stated: "Data visualization is powerful. It’s persuasive. And the more we can link data visualization to the human story it tells, the more people will “get it” and ‘want it.”" Data is fascinating and isn't intimidating, when folks grow up encountering it daily, in context, as an integral part of their education--which, thank goodness, is happening more and more in schools today at all levels. Data sense/quantitative literacy--the addendum to reading, writing & 'rithmetic. Nicely stated: “Data visualization is powerful. It’s persuasive. And the more we can link data visualization to the human story it tells, the more people will “get it” and ‘want it.””

Data is fascinating and isn’t intimidating, when folks grow up encountering it daily, in context, as an integral part of their education–which, thank goodness, is happening more and more in schools today at all levels. Data sense/quantitative literacy–the addendum to reading, writing & ‘rithmetic.

]]> By: Smarty Marty http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-31278 Smarty Marty Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:58:48 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-31278 Data will always be for geeks -- there will be no "killer app" that will make raw data (its collection and manipulation) accessible to the masses in the same way that the computer has changed. It's up to us, the data geeks, to find the important story -- the important information -- for the masses. In short, it will always take Geek Power to act as the user interface. Data will always be for geeks — there will be no “killer app” that will make raw data (its collection and manipulation) accessible to the masses in the same way that the computer has changed. It’s up to us, the data geeks, to find the important story — the important information — for the masses. In short, it will always take Geek Power to act as the user interface.

]]> By: Erqiudao – interactive visualizationist VS infographicist http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-31183 Erqiudao – interactive visualizationist VS infographicist Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:10:01 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-31183 [...] There are so many applications popping up every day that promise to socialize data. To make it the YouTube of data. None of them have really taken off though. http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/ [...] [...] There are so many applications popping up every day that promise to socialize data. To make it the YouTube of data. None of them have really taken off though. http://flowingdata.com/2009/06.....for-geeks/ [...]

]]> By: Catherine Mulbrandon http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30788 Catherine Mulbrandon Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:53:01 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30788 I think that the point behind a good data visualizations is to prompt a follow up question not just to provide an answer. However, if you don't understand the broader context or have some background knowledge of the subject being measured and visualized you won't see the meaning in the numbers or know how to question them. Instead it can become just a design that is visualizing pleasing to the eye. I think that the point behind a good data visualizations is to prompt a follow up question not just to provide an answer. However, if you don’t understand the broader context or have some background knowledge of the subject being measured and visualized you won’t see the meaning in the numbers or know how to question them. Instead it can become just a design that is visualizing pleasing to the eye.

]]> By: Jean Synodinos http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30765 Jean Synodinos Thu, 11 Jun 2009 04:29:30 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30765 No. And I think I'm a walking example of the change that's afoot. Statistics almost kept me from earning my undergraduate degree. In my work as a social marketing and communication type gal, I train normal non-geeks how to effectively communicate evaluation data to illustrate the need for their programs or boast about their successes to any number of different audiences in their communities. Most of us are visual learners. A table of stats makes my eyes cross. But visualize it well and I'm a sucker for it. Take the answers to those open-ended student surveys and wordle it -- then share it back with those same students so they get a sense of what they and their peers are saying. Take that same information and visualize it differently to show teachers that their students have something really interesting to say. Data visualization is powerful. It's persuasive. And the more we can link data visualization to the human story it tells, the more people will "get it" and 'want it." More and more, our society is making "evidence-based decisions". What works? What doesn't? Decisions are only going to get more data-driven. So we need to continue refining our capacity to collect quality data, and we need ways to visualize that data so it can effectively resonate with--and persuade--all the great non-geeks like me out there. No.
And I think I’m a walking example of the change that’s afoot. Statistics almost kept me from earning my undergraduate degree. In my work as a social marketing and communication type gal, I train normal non-geeks how to effectively communicate evaluation data to illustrate the need for their programs or boast about their successes to any number of different audiences in their communities.

Most of us are visual learners. A table of stats makes my eyes cross. But visualize it well and I’m a sucker for it. Take the answers to those open-ended student surveys and wordle it — then share it back with those same students so they get a sense of what they and their peers are saying. Take that same information and visualize it differently to show teachers that their students have something really interesting to say.

Data visualization is powerful. It’s persuasive. And the more we can link data visualization to the human story it tells, the more people will “get it” and ‘want it.”

More and more, our society is making “evidence-based decisions”. What works? What doesn’t? Decisions are only going to get more data-driven. So we need to continue refining our capacity to collect quality data, and we need ways to visualize that data so it can effectively resonate with–and persuade–all the great non-geeks like me out there.

]]> By: Andy http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30753 Andy Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:57:53 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30753 Data is becoming more accessible, with open standards, API's, data.gov, etc... Programming and visualization is becoming easier with processing, manyeyes, etc... This means more and more people will BE ABLE to work with this data. Whether they do or not isn't always a question of whether they CAN, anyone can read articles on SlashDot, but do they? Not everyone has the desire to look at how restaurant health inspections correspond with population density, unfortunately. Data is becoming more accessible, with open standards, API’s, data.gov, etc…

Programming and visualization is becoming easier with processing, manyeyes, etc…

This means more and more people will BE ABLE to work with this data.

Whether they do or not isn’t always a question of whether they CAN, anyone can read articles on SlashDot, but do they?

Not everyone has the desire to look at how restaurant health inspections correspond with population density, unfortunately.

]]> By: Tom Johnson http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30752 Tom Johnson Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:44:36 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30752 Nathan: Data never has been "just for geeks." (Just ask Moses: see Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, where he's trying to figure out just how many People of Israel there were.) I submit that the U.S. Census reports are the single most important and most widely used collection of data, perhaps in the world, and certainly for the longest period of time. The Census data drives literally untold numbers of decisions every day ranging from health care to business location studies to congressional redistricting strategies. Now, this is not to say that all data is well known and certainly not always well used, but used it is and used it has been. -tom johnson Nathan:

Data never has been “just for geeks.” (Just ask Moses: see Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, where he’s trying to figure out just how many People of Israel there were.)

I submit that the U.S. Census reports are the single most important and most widely used collection of data, perhaps in the world, and certainly for the longest period of time. The Census data drives literally untold numbers of decisions every day ranging from health care to business location studies to congressional redistricting strategies. Now, this is not to say that all data is well known and certainly not always well used, but used it is and used it has been.

-tom johnson

]]> By: Nathan Yau http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30750 Nathan Yau Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:37:24 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30750 but can we make data more accessible with visualization and more effective UIs? but can we make data more accessible with visualization and more effective UIs?

]]> By: jwo http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/10/poll-will-data-always-be-just-for-geeks/#comment-30749 jwo Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:36:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1629#comment-30749 Data is a formal framework of information and by definition won't change. Computers have dramatically changed - most notably they are more useful and accessible. Data is a formal framework of information and by definition won’t change. Computers have dramatically changed – most notably they are more useful and accessible.

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