Visualising Data

Project 5:

The aim of this project is for you to develop a visual system in order to communicate more complex information.

You will have had practice at structuring and categorising information and recognising the relationships between different types of information – people, things, spaces etc.

For the final week, your task is to create a system that brings statistics/data to life and shows relationships between information. Again, we are looking for as many initial ideas as possible. You will have a chance for development later.

You will choose your own data that can be taken from any appropriate sources: newspapers, reports, debates, narratives, archives etc. but you must cite the references on your work. You can also generate your own personal statistics using your own observations and data. Analyse your texts/statistics in-depth and consider the opportunities you can find to take an innovative approach.

Topics could include: Distribution of wealth, reporting on political or social issues, environmental data, personal data, text/argument/debate. It can be comparative, balanced or imbalanced.

Media and format: no restrictions. Print or Screen.
If Screen based, a comprehensive storyboard and flowchart will be acceptable.

The topic I chose: CO2 Emissions.

I found some car statistics on a website which covered all types of cars.

My first idea wasn’t very exciting, but the idea came from the website, I just created a little booklet; I put it in order of how eco the type of car was on average; and how many of that kind of car fall into g/km bracket. Some of the text is hard to read.

Co2 emmissions booklet

Then I had a go at doing something inspired by a spiral chart, but that didn’t really work either, but it did look nice… well I think it did.

There is a pattern appearing here… I then decided to take a new approach, I found some more statistics about CO2 Emissions around the world. I took the top 10 countries and produced a chart.. it’s not a pie chat… I hate pie charts… but I like this chart.. maybe its the colours? But I don’t know, anyway… I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.

(statistics from 2003)

In my research I found this website, I thought it was fascinating; show’s you where in the country someone is being born, died, population rising or falling and amount of Co2 being released!
This would be the project I like take forward!