Information Dashboard Design

Newly arrived to support a project:  Information Dashboard Design: Displaying Data for At-a-Glance Monitoring  by Stephen Few. I will review in the future.  Their description:

" ... Stephen Few exposes the common problems in dashboard design and describes its best practices in great detail and with a multitude of examples in this updated second edition. According to the author, dashboards have become a popular means to present critical information at a glance, yet few do so effectively. He purports that when designed well, dashboards engage the power of visual perception to communicate a dense collection of information efficiently and with exceptional clarity and that visual design skills that address the unique challenges of dashboards are not intuitive but rather learned. The book not only teaches how to design dashboards but also gives a deep understanding of the concepts—rooted in brain science—that explain the why behind the how. This revised edition offers six new chapters with sections that focus on fundamental considerations while assessing requirements, in-depth instruction in the design of bullet graphs and sparklines, and critical steps to follow during the design process. Examples of graphics and dashboards have been updated throughout, including additional samples of well-designed dashboards. ... "

To Save Everything, Click Here

Brought to my attention by Stephen Few, a new book:  To Save Everything Click Here: The Folly of Technological Solutionism, by Evgeny Morozov   His very positive review.   " ... Technologies are important. They give us opportunities to extend our reach and improve our world, but they also give us opportunities to do the opposite. Morozov understands this. He is not a Luddite, he’s a responsible technologist. I recommend that you consider what he has to say.. "

On the stack for later reading.

The Nature of the Data Scientist

Stephen Few writes  about the nature of the term 'data scientist'.  I personally don't like the term,  I prefer the term 'analyst', which has fewer implications of complexity. The term also is more of a grouping of technical and business interests meant to solve problems.  Needing a 'scientist' may be overdoing it.  Few does a good job of addressing the nature of the term.