Slides from a webinar talk presented for Tableau describing my latest thinking about the challenges of displaying nothing (null, zero values), the opportunities of utilising emptiness and the invisibilities connected with the experience of consuming a visualisation.

1. The Design of Nothing
Andy Kirk
andy@visualisingdata.com
www.visualisingdata.com
@visualisingdata

2. 2
What IS NOT happening is just as relevant as what IS
The defiance of August Landmesser https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/August_Landmesser

3. 3
What IS NOT happening is just as relevant as what IS
Visualisation by New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/23/upshot/what-good-marathons-and-bad-investments-have-in-common.html

4. 4
Statistics: Describe what’s there
Visualisation: Shows what’s there & what’s not there
What IS NOT happening is just as relevant as what IS
Paraphrasing Ben Schneiderman

5. 5
The challenge of designing different types of ‘nothingness’
Visualisation by FT Data https://www.ft.com/election-results-2017
Data representation
Annotation
Colour
Composition
{Interactivity}

6. 6
Mapping America, by New York Times Graphics
The challenge of designing different types of ‘nothingness’
Mapping Immigrant America, by Kyle Walker http://personal.tcu.edu/kylewalker/immigrant-america/#
What are the gaps? No data, no land, no immigrants, no people?

7. 7
The challenge of designing different types of ‘nothingness’
Measurements of Car Speeds in the Netherlands, by Erik Boertjes http://erikboertjes.com/

8. 8
Zero cars
Zero speed
No data?
The challenge of designing different types of ‘nothingness’
Measurements of Car Speeds in the Netherlands, by Erik Boertjes http://erikboertjes.com/
Empty space

9. NULL ZERO EMPTY INVISIBLE

10. NULL
No data: When nothing means something

11. 11
Data darkness: We are now not used to not knowing
Image from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26659951

12. 12
Data darkness: We are now not used to not knowing
Billionaires, by Bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/

13. 13
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Image from http://i-remember.fr/en

14. 14
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Image from http://i-remember.fr/en

15. 15
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Image from http://i-remember.fr/en

16. 16
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Image from http://hungerreport.org/missingdata/

17. 17
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Lost Mothers, by ProPublica https://www.propublica.org/article/lost-mothers-maternal-health-died-childbirth-pregnancy

18. 18
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
Metadata of Australian prints and printmaking, by Mitchell Whitelaw http://printsandprintmaking.gov.au/explore/decade-summary/

19. 19
Data darkness: Deficiency to drive action
State of the Polar Bear, by Periscopic http://pbsg.npolar.no/en/dynamic/app/
“A statement to Russia to release the data”

20. 20
Embrace the gaps, don’t be derailed
Rising Prices at the Pump, by New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/ref/us/20070524_REFINERY_GRAPHIC.html

21. 21
Embrace the gaps, don’t be derailed
Holiday chill?, by South China Morning Post Graphics https://officeofjane.com/projects/holidaychill/
“No data recorded between 1940 & 1946”

22. 22
Embrace the gaps, don’t be derailed
West-Wide Economic Atlas, by Headwaters Economics http://headwaterseconomics.org/interactive/west-wide-atlas

23. 23
Embrace the gaps, don’t be derailed
https://twitter.com/leethommo/status/844825118106800132

24. 24
Challenges of colour classifications for nothing
The Lowest-Profile State Department in 45 Years, by TheUpshot
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/08/01/upshot/lowest-profile-state-department-in-decades.html

25. 25
Challenges of colour classifications for nothing
America’s Growing News Deserts, by CJR https://www.cjr.org/local_news/american-news-deserts-donuts-local.php

26. 26
Challenges of colour classifications for nothing
Gay Rights by Type, by The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2012/may/08/gay-rights-united-states

27. 27
Challenges of colour classifications for nothing
‘Where is it Illegal to be Gay?’ by BBC News Graphics http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-25927595

28. 28
Challenges of colour classifications for nothing
How the 'Avengers' Line-up Has Changed Over the Years, by Jon Keegan http://graphics.wsj.com/avengers-team/
Yet to appear
vs. not
appearing?

29. 29
‘Something’ becoming ‘nothing’
101 Yellow Jerseys of Paris, by SCMP http://www.scmp.com/infographics/article/1561132/101-yellow-jerseys-paris

30. 30
‘Something’ becoming ‘nothing’
Image from https://mobile.twitter.com/jonbir90/status/893947320554881024

31. 31
‘Something’ becoming ‘nothing’
Image from The Slot https://theslot.jezebel.com/we-redacted-everything-thats-not-a-verifiably-true-stat-1793571837
“In the transcript, we have
redacted everything that is
not verifiably true. What
remains is everything the
president said that is
definitely true”

32. ZERO
No value: Something to represent nothing
Image from http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2014/03/banksy-vancouver-nobody-likes-me/

33. 33
Lots to learn from nothing
Nobody Lives Here, by Nik Freeman http://mapsbynik.tumblr.com/post/82791188950/nobody-lives-here-the-nearly-5-million-census

34. 34
From Pyramid to Kite, by The Economist
Lots to learn from nothing
From Pyramid to Kite, by The Economist http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2010/11/japans_population

35. 35
Lots to learn from nothing
RFID Tags Track Possible Outbreak Pathways in the Hospital, by Jan Willem Tulp
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=rfid-tags-track-possible-outbreak-pathways-in-hospital

36. 36
Lots to learn from nothing
Visualisation by BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38762034

37. 37
Interpretations of zero often formed by knowledge
Ship Map, by Kiln https://www.shipmap.org/

38. 38
Mapping America, by New York Times Graphics
Interpretations of zero often formed by knowledge
NASA space station view of Mount Etna, via Rob Simmon https://twitter.com/rsimmon/status/406433840807165952/photo/1

39. 39
Mapping America, by New York Times Graphics
Interpretations of zero often formed by knowledge
Cholera Outbreak Map, by John Snow http://johnsnow.matrix.msu.edu/book_images12.php

40. 40
Interpretations of zero often formed by knowledge
Images from https://mauriceabarry.wordpress.com/2014/11/19/the-armour-goes-in-unexpected-places/
& http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/09/counterintuitive-world/
“What you really want to do is armor up
the areas that don’t have any bullet
holes. Why? Because planes with bullet
holes in those places never made it
back. That’s why you don’t see any
bullet holes on the ones that do return.”

41. 41
The Uniform Distribution, by Dark Horse Analytics
Interpretations of zero often formed by knowledge
The Uniform Distribution, by Darkhorse Analytics http://darkhorseanalytics.com/blog/the-uniform-distribution/

42. 42
Male US Presidents Female US Presidents
Challenge (1): Hierarchical displays
Why do the Supreme Court’s decisions on gay marriage matter to you? By the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-apps/your-own-words/scotus-gay-marriage/

43. 43
Challenge (2): Distinguishing between zero and nearly zero
Hewlett Foundation Grants, by Periscopic http://works.periscopic.com/hewlett/

44. 44
Challenge (2): Distinguishing between zero and nearly zero
How Popular is Your Birthday? by Matt Stiles http://thedailyviz.com/2016/09/17/how-common-is-your-birthday-dailyviz/

45. 45
Challenge (2): Distinguishing between zero and nearly zero
Geography of a Recenssion, by New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/03/us/20090303_LEONHARDT.html

46. 46
Challenge (2): Distinguishing between zero and nearly zero
Wind Map, by Hint FM http://hint.fm/wind/

47. 47
Challenge (2): Distinguishing between zero and nearly zero
Fukushima, by NZZ/Interactive Things http://fukushima.nzz.ch/#die-schulleiterin

48. This page is left intentionally blank
EMPTY
Utilising the nothingness of blank space

49. 49
The art of nothing
Video from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUrTRjEXjSM&feature=youtu.be

50. 50
The art of nothing
Image from https://www.theguardian.com/film/shortcuts/2017/aug/09/running-times-when-to-go-for-a-pee-during-classic-movies

51. 51
The art of nothing
Images from http://www.musicstack.com/records-cds/andy+kirk

52. 52
The art of nothing
JERRY
GEORGE
ELAINE
KRAMER
Jerry's family
Elaine's family
Love interest
Friend/Acquaintance
Neighbour
Work colleague
Other

53. 53
The art of nothing
Video from https://vimeo.com/88077122

54. 54
“The single most overlooked element in visual design is
emptiness… [but] space must look deliberately used.”
Alex White
Visual punctuation
Quote from ‘The Elements of Graphic Design’ by Alex White, pg 65

55. 55
This Page Intentionally Left Blank
Visual punctuation
http://www.this-page-intentionally-left-blank.org/whythat.html

56. 56
Lunge Feeding, by Jonathan Corum
Visual punctuation
Lunge Feeding, by Jonathan Corum http://13pt.com/projects/nyt071211/
Iraq’s Bloody Toll, by Simon Scarr http://graphics-info.blogspot.hk/2012/09/malofiej-20-look-at-our-participation.html

57. 57
Emptiness for narrative effect
Images from https://twitter.com/jacklang/status/486838697657384960 & https://twitter.com/tomforbesGC/status/480733506826678272

58. 58
Emptiness for narrative effect
http://deadspin.com/todays-lebron-cover-of-the-new-york-times-sports-sectio-1603989001

59. 59
Nigeria Polio Cases Drop 50 Percent in 2013, by Voice of America
Emptiness for narrative effect
Visualisation from VOA News http://www.voanews.com/content/nigeria-polio-cases-drop-50-percent/1776099.html

60. 60
New York Time Op-Ed, Out of Control, by Brian Stauffer
Emptiness for narrative effect
Illustrations and designs by Brian Stauffer from http://brianstauffer.com/portfolio_page/missing-malaysian-jet/
and https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/18/opinion/out-of-control.html

61. 61
TITLEThe Depth of the Problem, by The Washington Post Graphics
Emptiness for scaling effect
The Depth of the Problem, by Washington Post http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/the-depth-of-the-problem/931/
How High Can a Missile Reach? by Washington Post http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/world/how-high-can-a-missile-reach/1195/

62. 62
Emptiness for scaling effect
Visualisation by Reuters http://blogs.reuters.com/data-dive/2013/12/10/gms-new-ceo-is-another-small-crack-in-the-glass-ceiling/
Visualisation by Francis Gagnon http://www.chezvoila.com/blog/glass-ceiling

63. 63
Emptiness for scaling effect
Image from http://kottke.org/06/07/independent-infographic

64. 64
Exploiting empty space
Brisk Job Gains Ease Fed’s Path, by Wall Street Journal https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-employers-add-271-000-jobs-1446816737

65. 65
Exploiting empty space
Rethinking Detroit, by National Geographic http://www.visualisingdata.com/2016/04/little-visualisation-design-part-14/

66. 66
Exploiting empty space
Nobels No Degrees, by Accurat Studio for Corriere della Sera https://www.behance.net/gallery/14159439/Nobel-no-degrees

67. 67
Exploiting empty space
Visualisation by Die Zeit http://www.zeit.de/mobilitaet/2017-02/bus-bahn-oeffentlicher-nahverkehr-studie-grafiken

68. INVISIBLE
What’s not visible and what can we learn from it?
Image from http://cementeclipses.com/

69. 69
“This is one of the first questions we should ask about any
dataset: what is missing? What can we learn from the gaps?”
Jer Thorp
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included

70. 70
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
International New York Times (22/23 March 2014)
https://twitter.com/AleemMaqbool/status/447306090087452672/photo/1 & https://twitter.com/QasimNauman/status/447277789121495040/photo/1

71. 71
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Photos taken from http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/05/diego-maradona-belgium-famous-photo & http://neilleifer.com/portfolio/

72. 72
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
'Is Terrorism Getting Worse? In the West, Yes. In the World, No, by New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/upshot/is-terrorism-getting-worse-in-the-west-yes-in-the-world-no.html

73. 73
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
https://twitter.com/andreainsunza/status/450806179862548480/photo/1

74. 74
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Are ALL
countries
included?
What do the
blanks mean?

75. 75
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Visualisation by New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/09/sports/olympics/2016-08-09-olympics-phelps-vs-phelps.html

76. 76
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Donald Trump’s Insults, by TheUpshot https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/28/upshot/donald-trump-twitter-insults.html

77. 77
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
FinViz http://finviz.com/map.ashx

78. 78
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Baby Names since 1904, by ONS http://visual.ons.gov.uk/baby-names-since-1904-how-has-yours-performed/

79. 79
The invisibility of what is NOT shown/included
Visualisation by LA Times Graphics http://graphics.latimes.com/kobe-every-shot-ever/

80. 80
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see
Perceiving Interpreting
What does it mean?
Is it good or bad?
Meaningful or insignificant?
Unusual or expected?
What does it show?
Where is big, medium, small?
How do things compare?
What relationships exist?

81. 81
“For sale: Baby shoes. Never worn.”
E. Hemingway
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see

82. 82
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see
Advert for Corre Cutia Bookstore, by Lápisraro Comunicação http://www.adeevee.com/2012/03/corre-cutia-bookstore-catchy-stories-print/

83. 83
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see

84. 84
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see
Map produced by Ben Schmidt http://sappingattention.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/reading-digital-sources-case-study-in.html

85. 85
Invisibility of interpreting: Thinking beyond what you see
https://londonist.com/2016/08/is-it-true-that-only-six-people-died-in-the-great-fire

86. 86
“The clearest, most precise graphic in the world
communicates nothing if nobody looks at it”
Fernanda Viegas, Martin Wattenberg
Other invisibles! (1) Nothing seen
Quote from http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/19/sexy.data/index.html?_s=PM:OPINION

87. 87
Wood Changes, by Luis Carli and Rafael Passarelli
“The best design is invisible; the viewer should not see your
design. They should only see your content.”
Edward Tufte
“You know you’ve achieved perfection in design,
not when you have nothing more to add,
but when you have nothing more to take away.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Other invisibles! (2) The invisibility of design

88. 88
“Guidance to the user is needed most at the moment the
statistics are first made public. The news media look to the
statistical release to provide an objective account of the
statistics. They may regard the absence of such text as
indicative of partisan influence. Saying nothing is not
necessarily politically neutral.”
Richard Alldritt, UK Statistics Authority
Other invisibles! (3) Say something, not nothing
Quote from http://www.statsusernet.org.uk/blogs/richard-alldritt/2012/05/17/a-word-about-numbers

89. 89
Where’s Ukraine?, via Washington Post ‘Monkey Cage’
Other invisibles! (4) About many things do people know nothing
The less Americans know about Ukraine’s location, the more they want U.S. to intervene, by the Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/04/07/the-less-americans-know-about-ukraines-location-the-more-they-want-u-s-to-intervene/

90. 90
There is always something in nothing.

91. The Design of Nothing
Andy Kirk
andy@visualisingdata.com
www.visualisingdata.com
@visualisingdata