Data Visualisation - Rationale
I chose to do a data visualisation because the ones I have seen previously have been very interesting and very creative. It really seems to be the new cool, creative thing. I tried to create something different and interesting but it was a lot harder than I imagined. I chose the statistics of Energy Use in Australian Homes, which I got from the ABS site. The information was not as good as I had hoped but I really wanted to this topic because I thought it would be a topic that people would want to know about. We are in an age of concern with global warming and other unknown factors in our lives that we try to find out as much information as we can about how we can improve. That is what I thought these statistics were going to be about. But they are more about facts and general information. There is nothing really that helps with saving energy or anything like that really. In the end I chose to do it because I had to chose something.
To create the data visualisation I made a video. I wanted the video to be informative, intersting and not too boring. I think it is a little boring with the voice I used (which was mine), ideally I would have got someone professional to do it. I also wanted to create the feel of simple, easy and efficient. I made the whole piece with pictures that I drew and scanned in. I thought this way of presenting the images wouldn’t come off to showy. The information is meant to be about saving energy and helping the environment. So creating something that looked like it didn;t cost a lot of money or seemed like it had little affect on the environment, I thought was the way to go.
I had recently seen an overwhelming use of 2.5D motion graphic work and decided to use it to understand it a bit better and to develop my skills. There is a lot of work out there now with this style and isn’t anything new but still very simple and effective. I also wanted this piece to be viewed so using an existing style would draw people in. So I tagged it as 2.5D and stop motion and I think this will lead some people to watch it. Also how many people use youtube? A lot! so making a movie also made sense to me, so it would be out there in the world.
I tried to portray the information differently from fact to fact and in some cases had some great and big ideas. I had to hold back on these thoughts just so I could get this project finished. There is a lot work involved in making a video and I initially had a lot more information and statistics but thought too much, would put people to sleep and keep me up all night trying to complete it.
If I ever have the time I would like to make something really detailed by using the concept of data visualisation. I think it is a great way to portray information and for people to understand the information in front of them.
All statistics from the ABS website and they want to be cited when using their information:
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2009, Environmental Issues: Energy Use and Conservation, Mar 2008, viewed 15 May 2009, http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4602.0.55.001Main+Features1Mar%202008?OpenDocument
Check out the video below on youtube or above.
