Infographics & Data Visualisation

https://explore-local-statistics.beta.ons.gov.uk/

Are there any free and decent resources available to teach the absolute basics of this sort of thing? I've been taking on some projects at work recently that involve presenting data to the rest of my team and so far I've just been showing some pretty dry spreadsheets. I am a total beginner and have a pretty basic understanding of Google Sheets but looking to improve and have something more engaging to show for hours of work!

Stephen Few - Show me the numbers, information dashboard design
Kieran Healy - https://socviz.co/

Alternatively - the excel thread on here

Just like you wouldn't give me a pie chart (unless it's got <=3 categories) don't give me a speedometer visualisation is generally the only rule you need in life.
Unless you're measuring pies or actually need a speedometer I suppose.

https://public.tableau.com/app/discover

This might not teach, but it should inspire.

Thanks everyone! Will delve a bit deeper at work tomorrow.

If you want to borrow a physical copy of Show me the numbers give me a shout.

Tableau is a good shout, tbh. It's pretty straightforward and you can find loads of videos online that offer tutorials. And businesses use it.

And thanks everyone for the suggestions - I've shared them with students!

And on football: I'm currently doing work with football supporter data. It's in progress and nothing's been published yet (although will be presenting it at a conference this summer), but fuck me the visualisations make me laugh. I'll share when I feel comfortable.

If you’re looking for data via tools; Looker Studio(web based, free) is great for the basics/slightly more than basics. Limits are when you want to use multiple datasets and join in platform, but if your data prep is elsewhere and you’re importing a single data table the it’s pretty competent. Also very easy to share, like all Google workspace products. Would be my choice for simple data tables where sharing the dashboard is important.

Power BI (free single user, app based) is great for more advanced modelling and has a great data prep and manipulation engine (DAX and M, also in Excel). Great for a single user as it’s free, cost comes if you want to share the dashboard to others. If you’re just making stuff yourself and copying into a slide deck or screen share then it’s great. Loads of great training in the tool online as well. Would be my choice if sharing the dashboard isn’t necessary.

Tableau, like power BI but fussier. Still needs the prep tk be done outside of the vis tooling, and costa a fortune for ash gem user but then very little for additional viewers. Been around for ages, lots of training docs but i find unnecessarily fussy and annoying, plus looks like it came out if the 2000’s. Wouldn’t be my choice for a new user

Sorry mate your opinion is invalidated when you claim tableau came out of the 2000s and called it FUSSIER than Power fucking BI

POWER BI

Honestly...

You take that back, i love measuring my way into problems!

Horses for courses, at least PBI is free for a personal user and you get full access (at least when I last used it). Plus the data prep section is far superior to Tableau and doesn’t require a host of other products and licenses

Saying that, I now use Looker Studio for everything at work as it generally just works. And most of our tableau reports are backed up with an always available Looker Studio version for when Tableau goes down, someone breaks a data pipeline or the owner goes on holiday and no one can take it over