Today we’re looking at creative ways of representing data. Although algorithmically generated data visualizations can of course incorporate creative elements through choices like color palette, background, and surrounding context, they’re also limited to specific, familiar forms: a pie chart, a network graph, a scatterplot. Creative data visualization allows us to play with new forms of visualization, and in so doing, move from data viz as exploration to data viz as argument or as narrative.

Today’s lab is based on the Dear Data project, in which two friends visualized data about themselves every week for a year. They each responded to a shared theme or prompt each week, but they did so individually, categorizing and visualizing their data in often radically different ways.

We’re going to visualize some of our own data. For the next 24 hours, track a piece of data about yourself. That data can be anything: how you spend your time throughout the day, what contexts you hang out with your friends, how often you call your family, or even just your steps.

Once you’ve got a set of data, try your hand at a creative data visualization. Think about what forms might make the most sense for your data — if it’s time-based, maybe you want to overlay a pie chart on a clock. Maybe you want to draw your step count on a map. Think also about what you find visually appealing and engaging. You’re not bound by the aesthetic of a particular tool! Bring it with you or take a picture to share in class on Monday.