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Improving visualisation tools in EUSTAT: Explaining the data. Jorge Aramendi Rique (Eustat), Anjeles Iztueta Azkue (Eustat), Cristina Prado Valle (Eustat), Yosu Yurramendi Mendizabal (EHU-UPV). European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics (Q2014) Vienna – Austria 5 June 2014.
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Improving visualisation tools in EUSTAT: Explaining the data Jorge Aramendi Rique (Eustat), Anjeles Iztueta Azkue (Eustat), Cristina Prado Valle (Eustat), Yosu Yurramendi Mendizabal (EHU-UPV) European Conference on Quality in Official Statistics (Q2014) Vienna – Austria 5 June 2014
Background • EUSTAT, as most statistical organizations, has a mandate to be useful and to disseminate to the general public. • We want to reach the greatest possible number of users and cover their needs in the shortest time possible • Usually we disseminate data from surveys, registers and census in tables. • Wide range of users, different needs and profiles. • Different audiences simultaneously: social and financial analysts, bankers, researchers, students, …., each with their own data requirements. • Users are increasingly expecting web content to be visual.
Background • User needs cannot be predetermined. • Users wants more and more small pieces of information that can be consumed quickly. • An alternative method of disseminating the information is via the visualisation of the data in the form of graphics. • Graphics make data more accessible to end users irrespective of their statistical background • “A graphic is worth a thousand tables” (if the graphic is good!!) • Data visualisation was a weak point within our organisation
In Progress • Working group with colleagues from different units and with the help of researchers from the University of the Basque Country. • Reviewing the current practices: • ESS: EUROSTAT, ONS- Data Visualisation Centre, INSEE, DESTATIS,INE, … • UNECE, OCDE,… • Google visualization API • The group established two main ideas for the graphics: Ease and interactivity for our users and integration in the production process.
In Progress • Interactive graphics in our press releases for all short-term statistics. • Tight dissemination schedule, any change is extremely costly in terms of time. • To produce the graphics, we have introduced a system that facilitates the current process (less time to produce the graphic) • These graphics can be customized by users according to their interests and context, enabling selection and adaptation to their preferences.
Visualisation requirements • Clean and uncluttered appearance • Clear scales adaptable to each graphic , avoiding too many classes. • Flexibility for labels and headings and only displayed when required (mouse over). • Combining different graphic elements (bars, lines, areas, …). • Similar colours are employed in all graphics. • Multilingual • Long data series, simple method of selecting the time scale. • Activating/deactivating the visualisation of data series • ...
Technical requirements • Ready for different browsers, screen resolutions and devices. • Accessibility and technical requirements of our IT System . • Independence of the data and graphic code: • General configuration files for all graphics • The files that the producer generates only contain the data and the text element of the graphic that are stored in a JSON file • A SAS program for each statistic generates the necessary files. • JavaScript: public libraries (JQuery,…) and others of our own creation. (open source) • Easy maintenance and creation of new graphics.
Results • When interactive graphics are employed, the number of website access hits increase (according to initial results) • Both, the dissemination unit and the statistical producers are satisfied with the results. • A tool to engage users and increase the potential use of official statistics. More accessible data • In the next User satisfaction evaluation survey of Eustat (yearly), we will add a question on the visualisation elements in order to receive feedback and get information from our users. • Initial web visits statistics and contact (informal) with frequent users encourages us to continue. • Next steps: • Continue improving current graphics and proceed with the standardisation of new interactive graphics. • Our current work : Interactive maps.
Eskerrik asko Thank you Danke Schön Jorge Aramendi j-aramendi@eustat.es www.eustat.es