Visualizing Data

(Images by Otl Aicher for the XXth Olympic Games, 1967-1972)

I began this blog in honor of being selected as an offical speaker for TEDXZagreb in 2010.  It was such a special experience and the common thread is that people who think for the next generation get together and share whether they are speakers, participants, organizers or volunteers.  TED is a part of all the classes I teach and so is this blog.

The inspiration for this blog is that last rite of passage of my doctoral dissertation that is organizing and sharing all the data I have collected physically, electronically and now presenting so others can understand and use it.  My original title was Understanding Social Entrepreneurship in Croatia and I turned it into Visualizing Social Entrepreneurship in Croatia about 6 months ago.  I got brave enough to fully embrace mindmaps, infographics and push their scientific application that simplifies the complex and requires quite an immense amount of reflection and clarity.

Today, I wondered how to relay the importance of the visual elements to the storytelling nature of my qualitative dominant research.  Through my search I discovered that the infographics trend began as an attempt by the Olympic games to better organize and communicate to athletes, coaches, organizers and spectators.  While they started as "pictograms" at the London Games 1948, their advancement took of at the Tokyo Games of 1964, they evolved through experiment in Mexico in 1968 and finally reached a critical appeal point at the 1972 Olympic Games.  With the awareness of the Olympic games and the number of countries involved the interest in using visuals to inform and communicate accelerated.

Today, infographics have been mainstreamed because the information overload through satelite, cable, wireless, online software and hardware devices needs help directing the consumers to what's important and why fast.  Infographics are used to illustrate and inform in one image and text visual with many symbolic elements in an eye appealing way.  Some examples include static information or can even be set in motion to show dynamic change over time and space like the work of TED alums Hans Rosling, David McCandless, JoAnn Kuchera-Morin and Anders Ynnerman.  The application of visualizing data crosses borders and fields of far ranging interests.

Resources:

Moss, L. (n.d.). Visual Data. Retrieved from http://www.scoop.it/t/visual-data/p/1473462724/openstreetmap-overlays-turn-digital-maps-into-watercolors

Munich Organizing Committee. (1972). Die Spiele: The official report of the Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXth Olympiad Munich 1972. Munich: pro Sport Munchen.

Popovic, J. J. (n.d.). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://1stmuse.com/pictograms/

The Wondrous.com Design Magazine. (2012, March 20). 12 Inspirational Infog

raphic Designs. Retrieved March 31, 2012, from TheWondrous Design Magazine: http://thewondrous.com/12-inspirational-infographic-designs/

Applying your gifts and experience to things you care about.

The trick about really being creative and getting the most by giving authentically starts simply.  The formula is most easily understood by two factors: goodness and caring.  Everyone has got the goods.  Each one of us has talents and experience and gifts that come naturally.  Then we add to that the things that pull at our heart strings and motivate us with passion.  Sometimes its hard to come to terms that just activating that goodness with that immense inner concern could be combined to create something really special and authentic. 

When I came across an example, 2x in one week, I knew it was time to pass it on. 
Good photographer + concern for shelter animals = attention drawing images which give mutts a light hearted hug.  The photographer in the spotlight is Amy Chadwick Williams: http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/shelter-photographer-talks-about-her-hilarious-series-of-dog-blooper-snapshots?WT.z_mod=RP. The link has a spotlight interview with the artist talking about her crafty approach to raising issues about unwanted pets.  She uses a bit of reverse logic, making the animals appear so ugly they are irresistbly cute.  The key to her likability is that through her lens she captures alot of personality and uniqueness in her canine models.  Check out her whole gallery and have a smile all the while thinking about how you could combine your goodness and caring.

BARTER NOW - Getting Creative with Promotions

No money needed?  Bludot was featured in an article about how the Minnesota, USA based company is running a promotion that features an online swap meet.  They post pictures of their furniture and let the public bid on the items with anything they have to offer.  When I checked out the online auction in progress on 8 March 2012, some items being offered and accepted were:

Offered
Tatto Space - in exchange for a sectional sofa a man from California offered up a choice spot on his arm for the company's logo. (see photo above)

Hand Sculpture - in exchange for a "one night stand sleeper sofa" a man from Utah offered up a "time management" sculpture of a hand with money, house, car, dog, people symbols floating over the palm. Clever.

Accepted
Iconic Architecture Retreat - in exchange for a sectional sofia the Blu Dot executives will get treated to a Creative retreat at a Frank Llyod Wright designed home in Wisconsin.

Love - in exchange for a lamp a women from Massachusetts will carry the lamp around with her for 24 hours over 7 days.  She proved how it would look like in her arms by photoshopping it in.

Bid or check out the activity going on through 16 March 2012 yourself.  Here is how it works according to the Bludot site:

The cool part is that visitor's to the site can also vote if they think the matching is "swap worthy".  What are some other authentic ways to make the old fashioned barter systems and social media blend in interesting ways?  Leave your comments below.