Helping you become a more effective information designer. You want to create effective data visualizations. That’s hard work. There are so many decisions to make, like chart type, annotations, and color! Will this podcast help? Host and fellow data viz designer Alli Torban is in the trenches with you. She shares the latest tools and methods that she’s discovered while on the job and interviewing top designers. If you’re an analyst, journalist, or designer who wants to hone your skills with specific tactics, then this show could be just what you need.
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95: You Need to Try Something New to Be Someone New
In this episode, I share the introduction of my book, Chart Spark, to inspire you to take the first steps towards a more fulfilling career, whether you’re trying to transition into dataviz or integrate more creativity into your work. I’ll redefine what creativity means, share why you need it in your dataviz work, show you how to cultivate a powerful creative practice, and finally, I share my personal story of having a fractured career at age 30 and turning it all around — including what everyone’s calling the oh-so-relatable “trash can story”. Grab a copy of my new book Chart Spark — available in paperback, ebook, pdf, or audiobook. If you think the book deserves a review, I’d be so grateful if you shared your favorite part in an Amazon or Goodreads review 🙏🙏🙏 Need a team workshop? Read more about my Impactful and Innovative Data Communication 3-hour workshop that will increase the effectiveness of your team’s data communication to guide decisions and spark innovation. Invite me to speak at your conference, event, or to you team! Join my newsletter
94: How to Give More Confident Data Presentations (even if you’re an introvert) — Featuring Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic
There’s no way around it: If you can speak confidently about your dataviz work to other people, you’ll make a bigger impact. But you’re shy, nervous, an introvert, and not a natural speaker! That’s ok. You CAN learn this skill. Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, a data storytelling expert, best-selling author, and CEO of Storytelling with Data, joins us today to share how to identify and fix those pesky presentation nerves so you can finally have the impact you want. Let’s go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/94 Cole's best-selling books including Storytelling with You: https://www.storytellingwithdata.com/books My book Chart Spark: https://www.chartsparkbook.com
93: How to Leverage Sports Analytics for a Standout Dataviz Portfolio — Featuring Shri Khalpada
Are you looking for ways to make your work stand out in a crowded industry, like sports? Or maybe looking for a topic with pretty clean data to create a portfolio project? In today’s episode, we’re chatting with Shri Khalpada, a D.C. area creative coder and Principal Software Engineer at Cleaning the Glass, which is an NBA analytics website founded by Ben Faulk that’s available to the public and also has more robust tools for NBA teams. Shri shares how he increased his chances of landing a coveted sports analytics job, and a few lessons he’s learned working with sports data that can be applied to any dataviz job. Let’s go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/93 Grab my book Chart Spark, which has NINE prompts to help you be more innovative in your data communication: https://www.chartsparkbook.com If you think the book deserves a review, I’d be so grateful if you shared your favorite part in an Amazon or Goodreads review 🙏🙏🙏 Sponsor: Data Elixir newsletter! https://dataelixir.com
BONUS: Insider Tips for Publishing Your First Dataviz Book
Are you ready to write a book? Or maybe see it in your future down the road? Well, I spent hours and hours researching the book publishing process, spoke with tons of authors about their experience, and then lived through it myself. I want to save you some time and share what I learned. Recently I shared all about the process with the Elevate Dataviz Learning Community that I co-founded and I’m sharing that conversation here today… In this episode, I share what's included in a book proposal, how advances and royalties work, what was harder and easier than expected, and much more!! Grab my new book Chart Spark (available in paperback, kindle, PDF, or audioboook): https://www.chartsparkbook.com Hop on our sponsor Data Elixir's awesome newsletter: https://dataelixir.com
92: How to Navigate a Dataviz Career in Mozambique — Featuring Charama Sulemane
Have you ever felt like you made a big career mistake? Like you completely chose the wrong college major or took the wrong job. Well, today we’re chatting with Charama Sulemane, a data analyst at the United Nations Office for Project Services. But only a few years ago, he was a fresh graduate in Mozambique and found out that no one was hiring for data science jobs in his area. He was questioning his decision to get into this field. But not ready to give up, Charama made a few smart moves that landed him his first job in dataviz. Let's go! Sponsor: Subscribe to the Data Elixir newsletter! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/92 My book Chart Spark: https://www.chartsparkbook.com
Welcome to Data Viz Today!
Data Viz Today, hosted by Alli Torban, is a friendly and insightful podcast for anyone interested in data visualization. It offers practical advice, showcases the latest tools and methods, and features inspiring stories from the field, aimed at analysts, journalists, and designers seeking to refine their data viz skills. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com Chart Spark book: https://www.chartsparkbook.com Elevate Dataviz Learning Community: https://www.elevatedataviz.com Follow Alli Torban on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisontorban
91: AMA — Creativity, freelancing, dataviz process and more!
In this episode, I answer some common questions I’ve received lately about creativity, freelancing, dataviz process, and more. Let’s go! What platforms would you join when on the look out for a network, freelance projects etc? I want to transition into a dataviz job but not sure where to start? What exactly do you mean by 'creativity' in the context of data and analytics? How can data people be creative? How do you respond to negative feedback of your creative idea? What do you do when you feel unmotivated? How do you handle the feeling of not living up to a client's expectations? I want to be creative and do my best work, but it's a lot of pressure! I feel like I'm stuck in my own bubble when it comes to being inspired. How do I branch out What is a common mistake people make when brainstorming or ideating? How do I know if my graphic is effective or if I should try to be more creative? I’m confused when to keep pushing or if it’s good enough. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/91
90: How to Come Up with Creative Ideas
In this episode, I’ll share a concept and prompt from my NEW book CHART SPARK, and how I applied it to the library check-out receipt to develop a creative idea that uses dataviz to encourage people to go to the library more. Use this prompt in your work to come up with creative ideas! Let’s go! Now available: Chart Spark Join my newsletter Show notes
89: How Great Visualization Designers Think — with Alberto Cairo
In this episode, Alberto Cairo shares some common threads he’s noticed among his dataviz students who go on to excel in this field and common traits he noticed while interviewing accomplished visualization designers for his new book The Art of Insight. Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/89
BONUS: Wanna chat? ☕ I'm opening up my calendar!
Hey dataviz friend, my book is launching in early December (CHART SPARK), and after giving a workshop this morning that used the prompts from the book, I realized....chatting and brainstorming with other people is my happy place! So, do you wanna chat? Anything on your mind about dataviz careers, creativity, or brainstorming on a real project? I'm opening my calendar on Thursdays until the year-end for fun coffee chats. Snag a time on my calendly below. No cost or commitment required – just good vibes and chart sparks! 📊⚡ https://calendly.com/allitorban/chart-spark-virtual-coffee-chat-with-alli-torban
88: 3 Ways to Monetize Your Data and Dataviz — with Dr. Barbara Wixom
In this episode, we explore Dr. Barbara Wixom's insights on the three main ways companies (or even freelancers) can monetize data and dataviz, drawing from her extensive research and the insights of her book, Data is Everybody’s Business. She shares the patterns of successful data monetization gathered over 29 years and we brainstorm ways it applies to dataviz work. Also, since Barb was a client of mine, we get a sneak peek into clients' top concerns when beginning a dataviz project so we can improve our processes. Let’s go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/88
87: How to Navigate the Complexities of Neurodivergent Creativity — with Andy J. Pizza
As data people, we tend to be more logical and analytical, which makes navigating creativity’s ambiguity a little tricky. So I called on Andy J. Pizza to help us out. To me, he is creativity personified — illustrator, author, podcaster, and more! He’s worked with big clients like The New York Times and Nickelodeon, and has a new book coming out where he illustrates “invisible things.” In this episode, Andy shares how his ADHD has become his superpower in his creative work, the little tricks he’s found that help him create, how he sees critique in a new way, and he shares his three phases of inspiration. Plus, Andy predicts what will be necessary for creators of all kinds in a future full of artificial intelligence. Even though he’s not a dataviz designer, you’ll see many parallels in your work. Let’s go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/87
86: How to Find a Balance Between Clarity and Creativity
In this episode, I share the framework that helps me decide when to stick with “best practices” or try a new approach in my visualizations. We explore four key variables: the reader's time and patience, the need to capture attention, past struggles conveying a concept, and the designer’s available time and resources. Let’s go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/86
85: How to transform science into clear and welcoming graphics — with Jen Christiansen
In this episode, we dive into the world of scientific visuals with Jen Christiansen, Senior Graphics Editor at Scientific American and author of the new book Building Science Graphics. Jen shares when to consider including visuals in your work, the power of “welcoming gestures”, and the effectiveness of comics in explaining complex concepts. We also discuss collaboration, the strategic use of arrows, and how to keep your projects organized. Let's go! Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/85
84: How to use serendipity to fuel your experiments and innovation with Mike Brondbjerg
In this episode, we explore how to practice openness through a fun activity that combines serendipity and structure. London City Hall's Data Visualization and Information Design Lead, Mike Brondbjerg, shares how he creates beautiful pieces of art dictated by the roll of a dice, and how these serendipitous experiments led him to create an incredible 3D flower project with census data! Let’s go… Show notes: https://dataviztoday.com/shownotes/84