Exploration vs explanation – engaging citizens through data visualizations is an introductory talk about data visualization and online storytelling – the key concepts, best practices, as well as the most common mistakes (and how to avoid them). Until recently, data visualization was of interest merely to a small group of analysts and information designers.

Over the last few years, however, it has made its way into the mainstream, including journalism and even advertising. Urban activists have also sought to grasp the opportunity, trusting that well-informed residents will likely turn into better citizens. The web flooded with city apps, charts, and geo-portals granting access to all sorts of data, from sophisticated financial records to maps of bedbugs occupying Airbnb apartments.

Yet, research shows that a significant amount of open data is not finding a single recipient, and people often don’t bother to click on meticulously designed online visualizations. So where did we go wrong? In this talk for Creative Industry Košice, you will learn what it takes to design engaging visualizations and how to avoid the most common mistakes when developing tools for data sharing and presentation.