Find the story in the data, or find the data to tell the story?
Data visualization process as a creative constraint
In my data visualization process, my preferred method of ideation is to find a dataset of interest to me then just wander around in it until I find a story I want to tell. (Or find no compelling story, and send the dataset back to my ADHD Vault of Datasets.) I often rabbit-hole myself to a completely different topic and/or dataset, but I enjoy the process.
I also enjoy exercises in freedom-as-discipline/discipline-as-freedom, like imposing an arbitrary constraint on myself to inspire new creative ideas. Recently, I made myself create a mobile view in Tableau. I’m learning d3.js, so the constraint there is really my abilities, but it’s also enjoyable.
Freedom to a dancer means discipline. That is what technique is for — liberation. — Martha Graham, American dancer and choreographer
To harken back to the title of this post, my process leans towards find-the-story-in-the-data. The Tableau Iron Viz qualifier is really a find-the-data-to-tell-the-story situation (and possibly also a cram-the-story-into-the-boundaries-of-the-theme situation). So if I don’t like the theme, ADHD Brain be like 💤💤💤
This year’s theme, “Viz what you love,” feels good for where I am in my dataviz trajectory. I’ve been grinding away at consulting work to pay the bills, and getting a bit tired and uninspired in the process. So I cut back my workload for a bit to Iron Viz. (Which I know is an incredible privilege.) When considering the theme, I was reminded of all the people, places, subjects, and things I do love. And from there I had a topic, but I needed data. It’s been fun finding the data to tell the story and to change up my process a little.
