Inforgraphics and Data Visualisation

Data Visualisation is used to communicate statistical information in an efficient way so the observer can understand the meaning of data. Since its early development using computer graphics in the 1950's, a significant boost was given to the field with the appearance, in 1987, of the NSF report "Visualisation in Scientific Computing" edited by Bruce H. McCormick, Thomas A. DeFanti and Maxine D. Brown.

Infographics
Information Graphics or infographics as it is known is a means of displaying detailed information using images and in some cases animations in detail a simplified manner so the viewer can understand what the information is trying to convey.

Here is an animation that uses Infographics that expands and adds more detail to the Little Red Riding Hood fantasy story. It uses various forms of infographics which is very inspiring as to what creative approaches can be used to display information.

Slagsmålsklubben - Sponsored by destiny from Tomas Nilsson on Vimeo.

Data Visualisation
Computers have the capacity to assess, calculate, read and compare data at extremely high speeds. With the introduction of computer databases which can store a vast amount of data, computers can analyze, assess and calculate the relevance of that data to determine for example the affects of climate change, astrological research, financial growth, projections and down turns etc. Data Visualisation is a graphical way of communicating data to humans that is easy to understand.

For example Hans Rossling, professor of global health at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute had developed the breakthrough Trendalyzer software through his nonprofit Gapminder Foundation. This software was acquired by Google. Trendalyzer is able to visualise data from the UN (United Nations), and animate it which reveals a lot about the economic, birth rates, wealth and life expentancy of countries around the world.

Here is an amazing video where Hans Rossling explains the data visualization potential of Trendalyzer and how the world can learn more if data stored in various institutions, government organizations and businesses were made freely accessable.




Data Visualisation is part of my Networked Media Production University studies at the University of Canberra. Infographics and Data Visualisation has been a real eye opener for me. It just shows the vast opportunities available to media producers. As students we are constantly reminded that we are the future of new media production technologies that are evolving and advancing the communication potential of media on the internet.

References
Data Visualization Wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_visualization

16 Awesome Data Visualization Tools:
http://mashable.com/2007/05/15/16-awesome-data-visualization-tools/

5 Best Data Visualization Projects of the Year
http://flowingdata.com/2008/12/19/5-best-data-visualization-projects-of-the-year/

Data Visualization: Modern Approaches
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2007/08/02/data-visualization-modern-approaches/

Information Visualization & Visual Communication
http://infosthetics.com/

Little Red Riding Hood - INfographics
Vimeo link: http://www.vimeo.com/3514904

Hans Rosling
http://www.ted.com/index.php/speakers/hans_rosling.html
http://videolectures.net/google_rossling_dtwm/

University of Canberra:
http://www.canberra.edu.au