10 rules of BADVIZ (Big Animated Dataviz)

Last September, the Set Reset team tackled a project in New York featuring a 10-minute pre-rendered animation visualising New York data. A few months back the same project won us and our client a Silver Pencil D&AD award. It was an unusual brief, with some unique challenges. In this post we’ll revisit some of the things we learned on the way, along with some things you might want want to consider when designing charts and data visualisations for either big screen or an exhibition setting.

1. Keep it simple, stupid! ??

When designing dataviz for animations, it’s important to remember that the audience only has a few seconds with each visualisation. To help them, use simple visualisation techniques that people can understand quickly and intuitively. Stick to charting conventions that the majority of people will already be familiar with; bars, pies, lines, bubbles, heatmaps and treemaps. This is not the place to stress-test unusual encoding methods or anything too complex, so maybe leave that violin plot in Tableau. But keeping it simple doesn’t mean making it basic or boring. Elevate simplistic visuals with motion design and illustration – you'll be amazed at what a bit of easing and some vibrant colour can do.

2. Slow it down ?

Don’t turn your data blockbuster into a data blur. Pace out scenes carefully, so viewers have enough time to read the text, take in the visualisation and understand what is going on. Remember, while you know the content inside out, your audience is seeing it for the first time so give each scene a little extra breathing room. It's also important when designing animations for a bigger screen, to consider the physical distance your transitions will travel. A snappy 0.3-second scene wipe that looks great on a 50-inch TV might feel like warp speed when the scene is scaled to the size of a house. So slow it down. Double your usual durations and use that as a starting point - after all, no one wants to be chased out of the exhibit!

3. Guide the viewer ??

No matter how well-paced your animation, it's easy to miss things in a busy exhibition environment. So make sure to draw attention to the key takeaways. Call out interesting insights with strong visual emphasis, motion, labelling or visual signposts. Guide the audience through the scene and show them what you see in the data. If it’s an important part of the narrative, make sure people notice it!

4. Use direct labelling ??

Wherever possible, use direct labels for categories and data so viewers can understand the visualisation without searching for a legend. Where a separate legend is unavoidable, make sure they're strategically positioned high on the design to avoid people standing in the way. For larger installations, consider repeating the same legend roughly every 6 meters - a little bit of repetition is better than having your audience miss important info.

5. Make use of the space ??

Consider the space and design to make the most of it. Choose visualisation methods that harmonise and play off the architecture or environment. Go big for maximum impact. Can you wrap around corners or onto the ceiling to envelop your audience? What kind of transitions will work best with the room shape? Is there a visualisation that better suits the canvas? The beauty of big visualisation is being engulfed by the data, so make sure you understand the space and how to use it to your advantage.

6. Edit ruthlessly ??

When it comes to crafting a compelling story with data, be ruthless with your editing. Be merciless! It’s easy to get attached to that stat you spent hours looking for but it’s better to ask yourself “does this matter in the context of the piece?” Objectively evaluate each and every line of copy, stat and data point. Will the audience find it interesting? Does it add context or is it a distraction? Does it enrich the narrative or detract from it? Make sure every element helps to better the story and leave the rest on the cutting room floor. Remember the words of dataviz godfather Edward Tufte "If the statistics are boring, then you've got the wrong numbers."

7. Compartmentalise ??

Don't expect your viewer to absorb the entire narrative. People get distracted, have conversations, play with their phones, take a selfie, wander off or just start thinking about what's in the fridge for dinner later. People will naturally enter and exit the space at different times. To counter this haphazard viewing environment, try to compartmentalise the story for easy digestion. People should be able to watch from any point and still understand the narrative. The story needs to make sense to everyone – even that guy who begins watching 40 seconds from the end.

8. Use VR to review work in progress ??

Zoom calls may be a convenient way to review artwork these days but, when it comes to critiquing room-sized information design, a 15 inch laptop screen just won't do.?It robs the work of its grandeur, shrinks the vision and makes it impossible to answer questions like “Is the type big enough?”. For impactful critiques, you need an equally large viewing platform. Thanks to VR technology that's now more affordable than ever before, it's possible to review the work full-size, months before setting foot in a gallery. Investing in an entry-level headset for as little as ￡500 gives you (and your client) a far better idea of how the experience will feel. Just pair up with someone who has 3D design skills so they can create a scale model of your gallery space. Once the piece is set up in 3D software you can export it as a 3D video to upload to YouTube VR, or import into unity, add movement controls and experience walking around in your virtual environment.

9. Test your colours ASAP ??

That fiery red might look amazing on your Macbook, but will it fry everyone's eyeballs when you fire it up on a wall of LED tiles? The only way to know for sure is to test your artwork on the product you’re planning to use as early as possible. Be sure to leave yourself some wiggle room in the timeline for a few tweaks when onsite even if everything looks great in advance. Make use of global swatches so you can easily adjust any artwork without too much trouble.

10. Factor in time for re-renders and file transfers ?

When working on a pre-rendered animation for an exhibition, it's really important to factor in extra time for unexpected surprises like re-renders and file transfers. Addressing snags or last-minute feedback in a timely fashion should always be top of mind when planning your project timeline so consider the situation. How long does a re-render take? If your team is making amends offsite, how big are the files and how long do they take to send? Is there a time difference? Does the space have stable wifi? Is there an ethernet port? How speedy is the connection? Once those questions are answered, set hard deadlines for final amends with all involved parties - make sure everyone is on the same page and you'll have less stress as the deadline ticks down.

Conclusion

Taking into account the nuances of fast moving data visualisation, while being mindful of the oversize format, you can ensure that your exhibition piece will be a success. With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to create data art installations that are engaging and captivating while also staying on track with deadlines. So get started today – explore the possibilities of data visualisation as a storytelling tool – go big and create something extraordinary.