Erica Gunn

A diagram illustrating the different phases of a project's lifecycle, represented in a diamond shape divided into four segments. Each segment is labeled with a different phase of the project: "Expand/Ideate" - This first segment, colored in purple, represents the beginning phase where ideas are generated and the project scope is expanded. It is marked with the note "Max risk of overwhelm," indicating that this is the stage where one might feel overwhelmed by the possibilities. "Focus/Consolidate" - The second segment, also in purple, follows the ideation phase and involves narrowing down ideas and focusing on the most viable ones. "Build/Produce" - The third segment, colored in blue, is where the actual product or project is built or produced. "Deliver/Deploy" - The final segment in blue represents the delivery or deployment phase of the project, marked with the word "Success!" A vertical axis labeled "Size of Project" shows an upward direction indicating growth or expansion. At the bottom of the axis are the words "Question, interest, or idea," and at the top, the phrase "Plan for what to do and how to tackle (at least some of it)" is written, suggesting that as the project progresses, a more concrete plan is formed. A black dot is placed at the intersection of the "Focus/Consolidate" and "Build/Produce" phases with an arrow pointing to it marked with "You are here," suggesting that the viewer is currently at the transition point between these two phases. The arrow also has a note "Max risk of exhaustion," warning of the potential for burnout at this stage. The diagram serves as a conceptual roadmap for project management, indicating that the project is halfway through its lifecycle and cautioning against the common risks associated with each stage.S
Erica Gunn

Step 8 in the Data Exploration Journey: Build

This article is part 9 in a series on data exploration, and the common struggles that we all face when trying to learn something new...
The Double Diamond design model has four stages: Ideate, Focus, Build/Produce and Delivery. In the double diamond, there's an arrow pointing to the very center of the two diamonds, which is right between Focus and Build. The callout text explains that this is where you plan for what to do and how to tackle (at least some of) it.S
Erica Gunn

Step 7 in the Data Exploration Journey: Spin-Off Projects

With large projects, it's common to pursue spin-off ideas for the material that doesn't fit into the core project. Here are two examples.
The Double Diamond design model has four stages: Ideate, Focus, Build/Produce and Delivery. In the double diamond, there's an arrow pointing to the very center of the two diamonds, which is right between Focus and Build. The callout text explains that this is where you plan for what to do and how to tackle (at least some of) it.S
Erica Gunn

Step 6 in the Data Exploration Journey: Cut to Realistic Scope

A project to find insights from DVS's State of the Industry Survey data moves from the analysis stages to preparation for build out.
Image of the double diamond model which shows the steps in tackling design projects. The leftmost point of the first diamond is "question, interest or idea." The designer then travels through the "expand/ideate" phase to reach the top of the first diamond, which is "max risk of overwhelm." Then, the designer travels down from that top point in the "focus/consolidate phase," which is the phase in which this column about collaboration is most relevant. The next phases (in the second diamond) are in light gray font, suggesting that those steps are yet to come, but they include "building/producing" and "deliver/deploying").S
Erica Gunn

Step 5 in the Data Exploration Journey: The Magic of Collaboration

A good collaborator offers companionship, a fresh perspective, and can help balance skillsets. Here's how to make a collaboration successful.
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Erica Gunn

Step 4 in the Data Exploration Journey: Knowing When to Stop

This article is part V in a series on data exploration, and the common struggles that we all face when trying to learn something new...
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Erica Gunn

Step 3 in the Data Exploration Journey: Productive Tangents

This article is part IV in a series on data exploration, and the common struggles that we all face when trying to learn something new...
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Erica Gunn

Step 2 in the Data Exploration Journey: Going Deeper into the Analysis

This article is part III in a series on data exploration, and the common struggles that we all face when trying to learn something new...
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Erica Gunn

Step 1 in the Data Exploration Journey: Getting Oriented

This article is part II in a series on data exploration, and the common struggles that we all face when trying to learn something new...
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Erica Gunn

Embrace the Challenge to Beat Imposter Syndrome

Imposter syndrome came up as a common struggle in October’s Topics in Data Visualization discussion about education on the DVS Slack channel. When talking about..
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Erica Gunn

An Insight-Informed View of DVS Education Opportunities

In July 2021, I joined the DVS Board as the Education Director. Since then, I’ve been doing some initial research to get clear on what..
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Erica Gunn

The Why, the What, and the How in Dataviz

This is part nine in a series of articles that illustrate how basic design principles can improve information display. The previous article took a deep..
Comparison between a standard stacked bar and the radial chartW
Erica Gunn

Why Can’t We Have More Fun?

This is part 8 in a series of articles that illustrate how basic design principles can improve information display. The previous article reviewed chart choices..
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Erica Gunn

Dashboard Redesign: A Look at Chart Choices

This article is part of a series that illustrates how basic design principles can improve information display. In the last installment, we thought through the purpose..
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Erica Gunn

Dashboard Redesign: Understanding Purpose

This article is part of a series that illustrates how basic design principles can improve information display. The previous installments focused on understanding the audience and..
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Erica Gunn

Who Is Your Chart For?

This is the fourth in a series of articles that illustrate how basic design principles can improve information display. The previous article focused on cleaning up the..
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Erica Gunn

How to Use Whitespace, the Punctuation Between Visual Elements

This is the first in a series of articles that illustrate how basic design principles can improve information display. The next installment will apply some..