David McCandless: The beauty of data visualization

http://www.ted.com David McCandless turns complex data sets (like worldwide military spending, media buzz, Facebook status updates) into beautiful, simple diagrams that tease out unseen patterns and connections. Good design, he suggests, is the best way to navigate information glut -- and it may just change the way we see the world.

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes. Featured speakers have included Al Gore on climate change, Philippe Starck on design, Jill Bolte Taylor on observing her own stroke, Nicholas Negroponte on One Laptop per Child, Jane Goodall on chimpanzees, Bill Gates on malaria and mosquitoes, Pattie Maes on the "Sixth Sense" wearable tech, and "Lost" producer JJ Abrams on the allure of mystery. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, and TEDTalks cover these topics as well as science, business, development and the arts. Closed captions and translated subtitles in a variety of languages are now available on TED.com, at http://www.ted.com/translate. Watch a highlight reel of the Top 10 TEDTalks at http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/top10

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  Science & Technology

[márton pápai]

finally, no more sitting 12000 feet deep underwater and not knowing what time it is!

[jennyreineck]

1926......Oyster

1931.........Oyster Perpetual

1956......Day-Date

1980s......cell phones come out and Rolex is deemed obsolete......

[samala51]

Fuaaaark TED ROCKS

[TrollinLikeABosh]

I am here for the Rolex commercial.

[Garry Law]

pleasantly surprised that the word 'douche' is now an appropriate sound effect

[zornwil]

This presentation is more about lies, damn lies, and statistics and how to visualize things to your liking. There is NOTHING wrong with that, I just think the true message here has less to do with comprehensive visualization of complex data than dumbing down data to dismiss what you don't like. Otherwise, each example he has given actually requires MANY visualization and just isn't so simple anymore.

[zornwil]

I can visualize things quite neatly as well if I Ignore major things and create my own universe of information without a clear set of criteria other than as I like. The "fears" thing is a primary example, it's a bit of nonsense ot talk about "here's fears the media reports" and ignore 9/11 and terrorism and say "ah, that created a gap!" Even though that's not the point, it's the visualizations, problem is that how do you visualize the more complex reality he ignores?

[KutAnimus]

OMG I was just thinking this like a couple of years ago. HE IS STEALING MY IDEA!!!

[MikaTheAss]

He clearly says he is left leaning in the video. Don't worry, you wouldn't be the first to avoid inconvenient facts.

[P. De Rop]

Please read Dambisa Moyo's book : Dead Aid

[Lily Roberts]

the rolex ad stole Edward Scissorhand's soundtrack!!!!