Lighten Cognitive Load, Boost Clarity: Smarter Data Visualizations for Nonprofits

When visualizing data, we should always consider cognitive load. What’s that? It’s the mental effort required to process information. There are two types of cognitive load: extraneous and intrinsic. Let's consider each in relation to data visualizations.

  • Extraneous cognitive load concerns how information is presented. There's a lot we can do to reduce the extraneous cognitive load of a chart.

  • Intrinsic cognitive load concerns the complexity of the information being shared. You can reduce intrinsic load only by altering what is being learned or by changing the knowledge levels of learners.

We can reduce the extraneous cognitive load of any chart through careful choices about titles, annotations, colors, use of white space, etc. But we are much more limited in what we can do to reduce the intrinsic cognitive load of a chart. I’d argue that the primary thing we can do is to choose a chart type that does not increase the intrinsic load by requiring the viewer to learn how to read the chart. So familiar or intuitive chart types usually work best.

Let's consider this data dashboard in terms of cognitive load. It has several different chart types.

The bar charts impose a fairly low intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. We already know how to read a bar chart. They each show one measure which we probably can understand, such as C02 global share or CO2 per GDP across several years. And the compositions and colors aid interpretation. The cumulative carbon clock, however, is a different story. It may grab our attention with its novelty. It's a radial column chart (aka circular column graph or star graph.) But most of us will have to figure out how to read this chart using the color and shape legends to understand what the chart is showing and how it is showing it. I also find the circular shape, which usually suggests some type of cycle, confusing because there is no cycle inherent to this data. I think the costs of the radial column chart outweigh its benefits.

Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.

What Is Data, How Do You Say It, and Is It Singular or Plural? (Asking for a Friend)

Feel free to share this with your “friend.”

What is data?
Data is raw information—facts, numbers, or observations that haven't been analyzed yet. For nonprofits, this can take many forms, such as:

  • The number of attendees at your last fundraising event,

  • Donation amounts,

  • Volunteer hours logged, or

  • Survey responses from program participants

These are all data points. On their own, they don’t say much. But when you organize and analyze them, they become information—like knowing that donations spike after your newsletter goes out, or that volunteers stay longer when they receive training.

How do you pronounce it?
Americans lean toward day-tuh while Brits and “serious science types” may prefer dah-tuh.

Is it singular or plural?
Purists say data is plural (the singular is datum, a word used only by archaeologists and robots). But in everyday English, data acts like a singular noun. Example: “The data is confusing.” Also valid: “The data are confusing.”

Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.

Ideas You Should Steal From This Viz (Installment 13)

“All creative work builds on what came before.” —Austin Kleon in Steal Like An Artist.

Today I offer up another steal-worthy interactive viz that I came across in the Tableau Public Gallery. Scroll down to see what you should steal from it.

Source: Nir Smilga on Tableau Public

Here’s what I suggest you steal from this viz:

  • Small Multiples. To highlight each country and to allow for easy comparisons across countries, Smilga created one small chart per country and placed them alongside each other, aka a “small multiples chart.”

  • Gray comparison trends. While Smilga highlights the trend for the featured country in each chart using color, the trends for other countries are also in each chart but in a light gray. This allows us to easily compare the trend for the featured country to that of others in general.

  • Color distinguishes trend types. Recent downward trends are highlighted in red, and recent upward trends are highlighted in blue.

  • Choose your view. Smilga allows the viewer to customize the view by selecting the number of columns, time period, and countries shown.

To see past data tips, click HERE.

Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.