Data visualization is a powerful and influential approach to communicate all types of data—big, small, qualitative, and quantitative. While static visualizations are commonplace and can be persuasive, effective, and memorable, animation has the potential to boost these impacts even further. With a new and broadening set of data visualization tools and technologies, and better and easier access to data, animating data visualizations can reach a wider audience. In this talk, I’ll make some observations about current approaches to animating data—both the good and the bad—and how analysts and researchers can use these approaches in their own work.

Beer/wine/soft drinks and pizza will be available from 5pm with the talk beginning around 5:30pm. We are only a 7 minute walk from the Foggy Bottom metro station.

The SAGE Ocean Speaker Series launched in April 2018 at our London HQ to explore the intersection of social science, big data and
technology. These free after-work events are for anyone who is interested in how we can harness new technologies to advance our understanding of the world. The series has now expanded to take place Washington DC as well as London.

About
Jonathan Schwabish is a senior fellow in the Income and Benefits Policy Center at the Urban Institute. He also specializes in data visualization and presentation design as a member of the communications team. His research agenda includes earnings and income inequality, immigration, disability insurance, retirement security, data measurement, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Schwabish is considered a leader in the data visualization field and is a leading voice for clarity and accessibility in research. He has written on various aspects of how to best visualize data, including technical aspects of creation, design best practices, and how to communicate social science research in more accessible ways. He was named a “visualization thought leader” by AllAnalytics in 2013 and speaks frequently on data visualization, open data, and data use in organizations.

Schwabish teaches data visualization and presentation skills at Georgetown University, American University, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. He is also founder of PolicyViz, a small consulting firm that helps clients improve how they work with and communicate data and analysis. He also hosts the PolicyViz Podcast, which focuses on data, open data, and data visualization. He is author of a new book about presentation design and techniques, Better Presentations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks.

Beer/wine/soft drinks and pizza will be available from 5pm with the talk beginning around 5:30pm.

Please note: Our events are always free and space is limited. We may overbook our venue to make sure we have the largest audience possible. Having a ticket does not guarantee entry so please arrive in plenty of time..