Better Data Visualizations Book Cover

Book Review: Better Data Visualizations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks, by Jonathan Schwabish

Better Data Visualizations: A Guide for Scholars, Researchers, and Wonks  (2021), by Jonathan Schwabish (Senior Fellow at the Urban Institute and Founder of PolicyViz) provides a comprehensive introduction to data visualization that has something for everyone, whether you are just starting in data visualization or are a seasoned pro.  Schwabish’s conversational style makes for easy[…]

Counting Book Cover

Book Review: Counting – How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters, by Deborah Stone

Numbers enjoy an aura of objectivity and precision unwarranted by their origins. They are always products of human judgment, even the numbers that seem to spring from computers untouched by humans. Counting – How We Use Numbers to Decide What Matters (2020), by Deborah Stone (MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning), examines the process[…]

Design for Information book Cover

Book Review: Design for Information, by Isabel Meirelles

Design for Information: An introduction to the histories, theories, and best practices behind effective information visualizations, was written by Isabel Meirelles in 2013. Meirelles, who is currently a Professor in the Faculty of Design at Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) University in Toronto, Canada, wrote the book when she was at Northeastern University. […]

Calling Bullshit Book Cover

Book Review: Calling Bullshit, by Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West

Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World, by Carl Bergstrom and Jevin West, delivers a thoughtful introduction to critical thinking for the serious reader. Its provocative title is clearly intended to attract readership. After all, how many people would pick up a book simply named for the subtitle, The Art of Skepticism[…]

Announcing Christie Taylor as the Center for Civic Innovation’s Executive Director

The hiring process for an Executive Director of the Center for Civic Innovation has concluded. “We are thrilled to announce the hiring of Christie Taylor as our new executive director.  After an extensive search, we chose Christie based on her background as a non-profit leader and an effective program manager.  She will play a vital[…]