Recap: Our Data Is Beautiful Conversation on Reddit

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We had a great time chatting with listeners yesterday during our Reddit Ask Me Anything! We covered a lot of ground talking about data visualization techniques, software, aesthetics, strategies for freelancing, and our favorite Data Stories guest. (Spoiler alert: We don’t have one!)

Thanks so much to everyone who joined us!  

On our thoughts about statistics:

rhieverCan you remember a time where the use of statistics dramatically changed your opinion on something? A scenario where the stats disproved many of your preconceived notions about a topic?

MoritzStefanerWhen I heard that 89% of statistics are made up, that sort of made me think.

ebertini: I don’t have one off the top of my head. This would come as a surprise but rarely I find statistics very convincing as an argument. Most of the time I can see how limited they are. There are always some other statistics that are not shown and would be needed to have a much better picture of a given problem.

On our favorite data visualizations:

zonination: What, of all the dataviz you’ve seen, would you consider to be the most beautiful? What about the most effective or compelling?

MoritzStefaner: My all time favorite are pretty much everything from Wattenberg/Viegas, Ben Fry, Jonathan Harris.

ebertini: Ah! Jonathan Harris! The best in terms of emotional impact. Absolutely love his work.

ebertini: I am of course biased here but I think Moritz’s work is the one that best achieves the right balance between beauty and effectiveness. The Better Life Index is a really good example of this balance.

MoritzStefaner: Ooh, Enrico did you delete all our past recordings, or why are you getting so cosy here? Something must be up 😀

And, of course, the age-old question:

eagereyes_org: Who’s really your favorite, Robert or Andy?

ebertiniRobert (much better accent)

MoritzStefaner: OK, I’ll take Andy (or who was the funny Austrian guy again? They are so hard to tell apart – almost like twins!)

MoritzStefaner: Has anyone ever seen Andy and Robert in the same room, at the same time? #justsayin

Couldn’t make the chat? Want more? Check out the whole conversation on Reddit!