In this chapter, Drucker dives into the lineages of graphical representation. Firstly, she organizes graphical representation by type. She makes the distinction between visualizations that are representative of static information versus knowledge generators  (visualizations capable of creating new information through their use). Then she categorizes by form (graphical format, purpose,…

Summary of Chapter & ResponseIn this chapter, Drucker provides us with some historical context on the evolution of data visualization from its beginnings. Though Drucker's writing can be quite dense, she is able to apply scientific concepts to historical concepts. Key topics discussed within this chapter:The theoretical study of…

In his 6 part series, Robert Simmon's approaches colour use in visualizations with intuitive explanations and examples. Colour is incredibly important to the visualization process, as Simmon's illustrates - the goal of data visualization is to illuminate data and essentially show patterns/relationships that may have otherwise been hidden. Careful…

Look At Data: What Makes Bad Figures Bad Takeaways: The author argues that there are three varieties of bad graphs: Aesthetics, Substantive and Perceptual. On aesthetics, annoyingly there is evidence that highly embellished charts - like the Monstrous Costs example in the text - are often more easily recalled than…