Design Thinking principles are a human-centered, iterative, problem solving technique that emphasizing empathizing with your audience.
Start by asking questions to empathize with your audience and define your problem:
Who is your audience for the visualization?
What do they already know?
What would they need to know?
What is the objective of your visualization?
What information is essential?
What information can be excluded?
Is there a logical story to tell?
How can you represent information visually?
Next, brainstorm ideas for your visualization. From the questions above, what information or concepts should you focus on or leave out. Then create a prototype or draft of your design.
Remember that this process is iterative and once you've tested or shared your idea with other, you may get feedback that will lead you to change your visualization.
When deciding how to arrange and present your information visually you can use simple design principles to emphasize different parts of your information. Try using one or a combination of the elements below.
Use size to indicate the importance of one part of your design vs. other parts of your design.
Use opposite effects like light and dark or large and small to contrast between parts elements.
Arrange items in order of importance and use distinctions like size and color for additional emphasis.
Equally distribute elements on both sides of you design by putting images or an image and text on opposite sides of an imaginary axis.
Let your content determine your layout. By using Design Thinking and Visual Design Principles, you'll be able to connect with your audience to decide how to visually represent your information. Then you can use the creation tools below to find a template that works well with your story.
If you need to find images to use in your visualization, check out the Open Access Images guide.
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Use: Create visualization components using JavaScript, Python, and R. Price: Free Access: Download package repositories or install from source |
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Use: Create responsive visualizations using Javascript. Includes templates. Pricing: Free Access: GitHub downloads |
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Use: Create charts and diagrams with templates Pricing: Limited free plan Access: Web based |
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Use: Create charts, tables, and maps Pricing: Free version available Access: Web based |
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Use: Choose a chart style and customize the JavaScript to create your own chart Pricing: Free Access: Web based. UNCC does not have access, so a personal email account is required. |
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Use: "JavaScript library for mobile-friendly interactive maps" Pricing: Free/Open Source Access: Download |
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Use: Drag-and-drop platform for creating charts Pricing: Limited free plan Access: Web based |
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Use: Advanced visualization platform for creating visualization graphics Pricing: Inquire for pricing Access: Install Dash Python |
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Use: "A JavaScript library for image- and vector-tiled maps using SVG" Pricing: Free Access: Download from website or GitHub |
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Use: Drag-and-drop program for designing complex visualizations Pricing: Free Access: Web based |
You can also create visualizations right within databases using the data you find within. Check these out on the Databases section of this guide.
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Use: Drag-and-drop platform with templates for creating infographics, presentations, and other graphics-based visuals Price: Free, but with some premium elements Access: Web based |
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Use: Drag-and-drop platform with templates for creating infographics Price: Free to use, but downloads require payment Access: Web based |
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Use: Create your own infographics or use Easel.ly's Infographic Design service Price: $2-5 per month to create your own or $120-995 for levels of design service Access: Web based to create your own or begin the design service request online |
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Use: Drag-and-drop platform with templates for creating infographics, posters, videos, and more. Includes a screen recorder option. Price: Free for limited use Access: Web based |
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Use: Drag-and-drop platform with templates for infographics. Includes animations and interactive charts and maps. Price: Free for limited use Access: Web based |
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Use: Create infographics with embedded charts and graphs Pricing: Limited free plan Access: Web based |
