VizNetwork Blog » experts & gurus

Using Visualization to Think

thcrawford — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:00:25 +0000

Often, we focus on visualization as an output, as a form of communication or speaking. It’s happens all to easily, since it’s the thing we see. However, often the real value of visualization comes in the process which causes, maybe forces, us to think differently. Sometimes the thinking and the speaking worlds come together and that’s exactly what’s shown in this presentation by Jameson Toole.

Jameson is a PhD in MIT’s Engineering Systems Division with the support of a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. His research focuses on using large behavioral data sets generated from the web (Twitter, Facebook, Google, etc.), cell phones, or any other means, to find emergent patterns in human behavior and dynamics.

He has done some fascinating work bringing thinking and visualization together. Two of my favorite examples are in this talk we worked on for TEDxUofM. First, he looks at his relationship with his girlfriend through the lens of chat, texts, and e-mails which leads to an onstage apology. He then looks at the types of cellphone usage over time as a method for thinking about urban planning.

So as you watch the video, pay attention not only to his great delivery and unique wit, but also to how he used visualization to think about the world differently.

The Funny Librarian

thcrawford — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:30:14 +0000

Can a librarian, professor, and policy maker talking about intellectual property rights be funny, relevant, and have a great message too? A resounding yes! The key is knowing your audience. Sure, Paul’s years of experience both in academia and the public sector made him an expert, but that expertise is often a recipe for disaster in public speaking. Too much knowledge can lead to a presentation that’s overflowing with jargon and data, especially in an academic setting. However, when the speaker know’s their audience…where they are, whey they need to be, and how to get them there…the results can be amazing. And that’s exactly what happened here.

Paul Courant, University Librarian and Dean of Libraries, is Harold T. Shapiro Collegiate Professor of Public Policy, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Information and of Economics, and former Provost of the University of Michigan. As Provost he negotiated the book-scanning contract with Google, which advanced the University’s project to digitize the entire contents of its Library and enabled the creation of the HathiTrust Digital Library.

Yet this audience was not the typical policy wonks or academic journal reviewers. It was the general public, those directly involved with intellectual property every, yet with no knowledge of the related law or politics. His goal was to take them from apathy to caring about how the law and policy is impacting their lives, especially with the advent of new technology. Listen to how he adeptly navigates complex terminology and concepts while still bringing his audience along on the journey:

Making Your Message Pop

thcrawford — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:40:19 +0000

Everybody wants their message to stand out. However, messages often get lost in the fog of competing information. In December, my friend and colleague, Ryan Coleman, did a great Ignite presentation on designing for visual efficiency called “Why is Waldo so !#@%ing Hard to Find”. As with all Ignite presenations, it’s fast (just about 5 minutes) and filled with information. He does a great job of explaining how the brain processes what it sees and what that implies for designing your message. Take a look:

Ignite Toronto 2: Ryan Coleman – Designing for visual efficiency from Ignite Toronto on Vimeo.

You can also check out the slides from his presentation here:

Designing for Visual Efficiency [Ignite Format]

View more presentations from Ryan Coleman | Freelance Information Designer & Facilitator.

Beyond the Anecdotes

thcrawford — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 15:41:35 +0000

Does this stuff really work? Ask that question to people in the visualization space and you’ll likely get a lot of great stories about an event or meeting or personal encounter where one visualization approach or another radically improved an outcome. That’s great, but where’s the solid research? Over the last 6 months I’ve gone on an exhaustive search beyond the anecdote for any research related to visualization. I’ve talked to industry experts and professors, searched databases, and read thousands of pages of academic research. One of the most prolific and interesting researchers of our day is Martin Eppler, researcher and professor from University of St. Gallen in Switzerland, where he’s the Chair of Media and Communications Management. In his just released research, Improving Knowledge Sharing through Visualization: Experimental Evidence, he found that using visualization techniques during meetings fosters knowledge sharing, improves productivity, creates more ideas, creates better ideas, and increases recall. Check out this video summary of his research:

Now that’s some great evidence! I’m not saying that anecdotes aren’t useful. In fact, they’re one of the best ways to tell our story and illustrate the research. Now we’ve got rigorous studies that support what we’ve always intuitively known…visualization can help you solve problems and sell ideas.

A few simple principles can help you improve the way you solve problems and sell ideas. Want to learn more? Contact me and I’ll help you apply this research with a solution that’s right for your needs.

The Magic of Visualization

thcrawford — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:52:01 +0000

Some people would definitely think the process of creating a visual is some form of magic requiring some ability to conjure something from nothing. The myth of left brain/right brain reinforces the false notion that creativity is something that only belongs to a special, magical few. The reality is that, like magic, there is a science to visualization, that it can be learned, it requires practice, and anyone can do it!

Last week, I attended the presentation of Jamy Ian Swiss, magician extraordinaire, at the Penny W. Stamps Distinguished Visitor Series at the University of Michigan‘s School of Art & Design. Followers of visual thinking and information design & visualization will know him from co-writing a chapter of Edward Tufte‘s Visual Explanations. It’s no wonder that Tufte used him in his book. His explanation of the magic trick was more about information design than magic. From the intentional placement location of cards on the table to the narrative story arc to body language, every step of Jamy’s magic is an attempt to direct (or maybe more appropriately misdirect) attention.

Card Placement

When the card is thrown face down on the table, if it’s thrown in position 1, close to the audience member, they are more likely to pick it up or peak at it. If the card is thrown in position 2, the audience member is unlikely to pick it up, but also is expecting some sort of deception since it is placed in a defensive position. Either case pushes the participant out of the story and breaks the story arc. By placing the card in position 3 (just short of halfway between the magician and the audience member), a balance is achieved by keeping the audience member in the illusion, but not offering a peak ahead in the story.

What fascinates me about this is how similar it is to page or screen design. Placement and directing attention matter to the audiences perception of the piece.

Body Language

Shifting weight: Placing weight on one leg or another will guide people’s attention and expectations. Putting weight on the forward leg adds energy and almost an arrow implying direction. Placing weight on the back leg implies an anchor or station. Lifting the heal of the lighter foot further adds to that implication.

Muscle Tension: Letting a hand hang loosely implies that there is nothing in it, while holding one stiffly implies that it is holding something.

Why talk about body language on a visualization blog? Minimally because you may need to visualize people in your messages and how they appear will impact your story, but I think it’s much more than that. Body language is a visual story in it’s own right. How you use your body in daily conversations, meetings, and presentations influences how people perceive you. Not only being aware of the messages, but crafting the message your sending with your body can have a significant impact on your communications. In fact, much of people’s perceptions of you come from the message your body sends. On occasion it can even override your words and your other visuals.

Visualization doesn’t have to be magic. A few simple principles can help you improve the way you solve problems and sell ideas. Want to learn more? Contact me and I’ll help you find a solution that’s right for your needs.