Academic Book Charts

As a data visualization designer with ties to the academic community, I often consult with academics or other researchers about how to best visualize their complex data in accessible, approachable ways to non-expert audiences. This is one of my favorite challenges, as I love working with deeply-knowledgeable subject matter experts. But sometimes these experts are so deep in their area that they forget the needs of an audience that is not as familiar with their subject as they are. This can even be true for academics writing for other academics beyond the small core working in their sub-sub-field. I like to bring this perspective, help simplify charts to reduce cognitive load and often into just black and white, while retaining the critical information necessary to convey the authors message.

Breaking the Two-Party The Doom Loop

Lee Drutman, Oxford University Press (2019)

Producing charts and graphics for this book involved a variety of different challenging data visualization tasks, including designing sample ballots and schematics for different types of voting in addition to a variety of time series charts harnessing congressional, election, and public opinion data. These charts needed to be legible in grayscale, present complex information simply, and look consistent across the entire book.

Pre-print versions of graphics for the book designed in collaboration with Drutman. Note specifically the shading to denote presidential control in Balance of partisan power, and the direct labeling in Competitive congressional districts are declining. Choices like these lower cognitive load, making relevant information salient to the reader directly where they need it.

The Primary Solution: Rescuing our Democracy from the Fringes

Nick Troiano, Simon & Schuster (2024)

The Primary solution makes the case that partisan primaries fuel partisan extremism, and makes the case for electoral reform. For this project I designed charts demonstrating declining legislative bipartisanship, growing polarization, and presenting schematics and explainers to illustrate how reforms might work, as shown in How an Instant Runoff Works.

Acknowledgements from Nick

Amy Cesal brought sharp design to spreadsheets of data in creating the graphics.

China’s Gilded Age: The Paradox of Economic Boom and Vast Corruption

Yuen Yuen Ang, Cambridge University Press (2020)

For China’s Guilded Age I designed several graphics on critical points that the author had been finding particularly challenging to convey effectively. I iterated through multiple versions with Yuen Yuen, trying out different approaches and settled on the Unbundled Corruption Index chart below, which decomposes the UCI corruption score of 15 countries into their constituent parts, highlighting which type of corruption was most prevalent in each country. We also employed a slope chart to demonstrate the significant differences in corruption score for depending on which measurement a researcher uses. This was part of making a case for the UCI score over more traditional corruption perception measures.

In addition to book graphics, Yuen Yuen wanted color versions designed for use in presentations. I think this is a great idea for academics, who present their work so frequently. I also encourage graphics optimized for sharing on social media to help scholars promote their work.