One of the first things you learn in any data visualization course is that displaying lots of information isn’t always useful, the biggest impact you can have as a visualization expert is presenting it in a clear and usable way. Overat NTen, the Nonprofit Technology Network, they have an article from Larry Orman that gets specifically into the problems of Data Maps.
But, while some of us may “ooh” and “ahh” over a particularly cool-looking map, most people have a hard time actually reading and understanding maps. Some of this is a general cognitive truth, but a good part of that comes from poorly designed maps.
If our data is that important – and it is – we have to create visual design that delivers our messages to people.
