Keynote presentation by the FT's John Burn-Murdoch at Data Journalism UK 2022

6. John Burn-Murdoch / @jburnmurdoch
24 May 2022
#ddjuk22
Lessons learned from
communicating Covid
statistics to the public

7. John Burn-Murdoch / @jburnmurdoch
24 May 2022
#ddjuk22
Lessons learned from
communicating Covid
statistics (and some other
things) to the public

8. Data visualisation is a
communication skill.
Good words are key
to good graphics

9. To create effective charts, you have to understand how
people consume charts

15. Text and other annotation adds enormous value for
“non chart people”, acting as a guiding hand showing
them what message the chart is imparting, and
preparing the ground for further exploration
Lesson 1

18. But all is not lost!

22. Which brings me onto my favourite chart of the
pandemic...

24. If people are confused by your chart, that’s on you, not
on them. If necessary, provide additional explanation
in-situ to minimise adverse reactions
Lesson 2

25. But there’s more...

27. Information visualisation is personal and often political.
It’s our job to design with that in mind, to minimise the
risk that someone reacts badly to a chart because of
choices we have made
Lesson 3

31. Continued communication is key; don’t just deliver a
chart and then disappear. Everybody benefits from this
Lesson 4

32. What happens when data
journalism meets the opinion
section? 😱

38. Data journalism and opinion *can* mix. Use the opinion
pages as a back door through which to smuggle news
🤫 😉
Lesson 5

39. John Burn-Murdoch / @jburnmurdoch
24 May 2022
#ddjuk22
Lessons learned from
communicating Covid
statistics (and some other
things) to the public