Responsible Virus Charting

Click through for an interesting links to data visualization of virus data:

Responsible coronavirus charts via FlowingData

Statistical Visualization  /  coronavirus, Datawrapper

Speaking of responsible visualization, Datawrapper provides 17 charts and maps you can use in your stories, without causing unnecessary panic.

Below is an embedded example:  ...

Coronavirus COVID-19 cases worldwide

Currently infected people (confirmed cases), already recovered people and people who died due to the coronavirus, worldwide. This chart gets updated once a day with data by Johns Hopkins. ... "

Columbia University MS in Applied Analytics

Kaiser Fung reports on the Columbia University Master of Science Program in Applied Analytics being established.   Their new site. 

Junk Charts: Data Visualizations Reviewed

Recently connected with Kaiser Fung,   Who writes the famous Junk Charts Blog that I have often mentioned here.  I had read about bad visualizing years ago in books like:  How to Lie with Statistics, But never saw a source that systematically looked at criticizing and improving current data visualization.  Kaiser brought that home to me.  Taught me many things.  Thanks Kaiser!

Here is his blog intro:  (Go to the link for details)

Junk Charts is made by Kaiser Fung, the Web’s first data visualization critic. I discuss what makes graphics work, and how to make them better. Think chartjunk + junk art.

Here is my first post from nine years ago. These are the posts with the most (clicks): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. There are some things I say over and over again: the Trifecta Checkup, the self-sufficiency test, bumps charts, small multiples, the power of aggregation. I carefully tag all posts with topics so clicking on map shows all posts about maps. A list of topics is on the right column. Here is a call for more dataviz criticism. ... 

Here is my other blog, about statistics and Big Data. Here is my twitter feed, aggregating both blogs. If you prefer RSS, there's one feed for Junk Charts, and one for Big Data Plainly Spoken.  .... " 

See also his recent book:  Numbersense, which I read this year.  Great stuff for anyone that deals with numbers.

Statistical Significance

Kaiser Fung takes a core value principle look at the meaning of statistical significance.  His statement is very true, but is it actually useful in practice, except as a general caution?   What does it tell me to do with the models I have derived?   Give me something  I can work with.

NumberSense Reviewed

I have been looking for books that explain the difference of what I call analytics, in my long time consulting practice and the newly hyped arena of Big Data.   I am always also on the look out for books that I can use with client groups to explain how analytics is powerful.    The explanation has to be positioned with little or no complex mathematics.  The examples have to be clear, and beg for their simple reapplication to new business domains.

NumberSense includes these characteristics.   Easy to understand, non technical examples.  In the social/marketing/economic/sports domains.  Clear positioning about how the problems should be staged.  Not much about how the problems are technically solved, but that is for the data technologists.  Not a how to book, but sets up the crucial cautions very clearly.

I particularly liked the analysis of Groupon data, which clearly defines where claims and analyses can be wrong in marketing.   A good marketing analysis example.

Fung appreciates the fact that while having more, or 'big' data is useful, but it is more important to get the data and its analysis right, especially as it relates to the decision problem being addressed.  Numbersense is paying attention to the origin and context of the data involved, and knowing enough about how the analysis will be applied to the real problem.  Misinterpretation is the worst mistake you can make.

In the final chapter Fung describes a  day in his life as a data scientist.  This was painfully reminiscent of some of my own enterprise experiences.  Its often more difficult getting the data right than solving the technical problem.

As a decision oriented person you don't need to know the technical methods, any more than you need database expertise to create reports.  This books aims at the business problem and solutions, with a strong numerical focus.  Usually with basic math.   The title of the book NumberSense, is that quality of understanding when an analysis is right or going wrong, and what to do about that.   The data in an analysis does not have to be BIG or even complex, just correctly addressed.   The book and more about it:

NumberSense: How to Use Big Data to Your Advantage    by Kaiser Fung .

See also his Numbers Rule Your World blog site for day to day examples.

Examples covered: 

" ... How does the college ranking system really work?
Can an obesity measure solve America's biggest healthcare crisis?
Should you trust current unemployment data issued by the government?
How do you improve your fantasy sports team?
Should you worry about businesses that track your data?

Don't take for granted statements made in the media, by our leaders, or even by your best friend. We're on information overload today, and there's a lot of bad information out there.
Numbersense gives you the insight into how Big Data interpretation works--and how it too often doesn't work. You won't come away with the skills of a professional statistician. But you will have a keen understanding of the data traps even the best statisticians can fall into, and you'll trust the mental alarm that goes off in your head when something just doesn't seem to add up.... "

Short Non Mathematical Statistics Course

Nice idea, Kaiser Fung from Junkcharts.   I have often been in the need of having concise statistics training for managers and executives.  "How to do statistics without really doing statistics?"  .... Not a math course.  Have not looked at this, but will.

This also introduced me to the training system and construct called 3 Nights and Done, which I like the general premise of.  " ... It's free. It's non-profit. It won't sell your student activity records. It makes learning fun for people of all ages. You watch 1 hour of educational material each night, and in 3 nights' time it's done. Simple as that. You will get a sense of accomplishment instantly over say a weekend. ... " 

Averages

Good piece on averages, pulled from the new book: Numbers Rule Your World, by the author of that book Kaiser Fung,  which I did a pre review of here.  This is a good place to start in learning about practical uses of statistics.

Numbers Rule Your World

Numbers Rule Your World: The Hidden Influence of Probabilities and Statistics on Everything You Do by Kaiser Fung

In the midst of reading this book which I have had on the stack for some time.   A largely non-technical work that I would recommend to those that do not have a statistics background but still have to defend and describe analytical works to others.   Or to those with a statistics background who need to have good explanatory paragraphs to share.  A case study oriented book.  The studies I have seen so far are good, though I would have liked some more details of the technical solutions, perhaps in an appendix.  The author is a statistician who works in the advertising and consumer behavior space.  Recommended.

Numbers Rule Your World

A good review of the new book:  Numbers Rule Your World: the hidden influence of probability and statistics on everything you do ,   by Junk Charts blogger Kaiser Fung.  The book, which I have yet to see, is an overview of statistics for the non mathematician.  On my list of books to review in more detail.  I think it is very important to have books of this type for the management decision maker.  Especially important as more statistical analyses appear on dashboards.   On displays of these types I often got the question:  Explain to me again how much I can trust this analysis?

Junk Chart Book

The author of the always interesting Junk Chart Blog, Kaiser Fung, now has a book out. Described in the blog and now available: Numbers Rule Your World: The hidden influence of probability and statistics on everything you do. Plan to read and review.