Our Impact Data chat in October focused on sharing recommendations around data visualizations for social impact. We had a rich conversation across sectors and organizations.  Evaluators, researchers and program officers shared new innovations, visuals, and experiences related to using data to visualize social justice, human rights and climate justice outcomes. Below we share a list of the resources shared in that session. 

‍

Visualization Resources 

• Recommended data visualization books

• Living in Data, by Jer Thorp, bringing the art in to information sharing (and so much more).
• The Functional Art, by Alberto Cairo: http://www.thefunctionalart.com/p/about-book.html
• Data Feminism, by Catherine Ignazio and Laura Klein. The importance of context to data analysis and visualization. https://data-feminism.mitpress.mit.edu/pub/czq9dfs5/release/3

‍

Visualization Examples and Tips 

• Flowing data 
• Information is Beautiful 
• Climate Finance Tracker’s data-driven map for catalytic climate investors https://cft-us.impactalpha.com/
• Stand.Earth's Leather supply chain visualization in the Amazon
• Creative visuals that surface data trends so people can take action. Mona Chalabi. https://www.instagram.com/p/CfR_eOzuOpo/?hl=en
• Visualizations showing income increases from new jobs created: https://www.upayasv.org/our-impact
• Creative use of documentaries and storytelling with data
• Code for ESG scoring and visualization in Data Bricks
• Case studies and visual impact stories can help organizations tell their story in a data driven way that humanize their wins. Here is an example of case studies that ImpactMapper has produced to show the power of impact storytelling through visual case studies. https://www.impactmapper.com/sdg5-projects/pastoral-womens-council

‍

Software tools 

• No-coding tool for data visualization, Raw Graphs.
• GIS mapping software, Esri.org
• Network mapping looking at networks/ecosystems within the funding world. This example uses Pando software to map networks. Gephi.org for network mapping.
• Creating a "storymap" using ArcGIS. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/
• Arrows app for graphical data representation: https://arrows.app
• ImpactMapper, software to track and visualize grantmaking, project and reporting data. You can enter and analyze qualitative data, Excel data through csv and we have our own survey and visualization tools for social impact tracking and storytelling. 
• Maxqda to analyze qualitative data https://www.maxqda.com/ 
• Aggregate Intellect in Toronto. https://ai.science/ (Often for developers to help build products faster).

‍

Measurement Resources

• Measuring Dignity: CRS and Notre Dame University. Will soon be published.  
• Visualizing Change. A Guide for Coding and Tracking Change in Stories for Donors and Nonprofits by Alexandra Pittman, ImpactMapper Founder and CEO. This was written in 2015, so all visuals are from an earlier version of ImpactMapper.
• Eirene peacebuilding indicators and database. There are indicators around the following seven areas: Dispute Resolution, Governance, Perceptions of Safety & Security, Resilience, Trust, Social Cohesion, and Violence Reduction.  https://www.allianceforpeacebuilding.org/eirene-peacebuilding-database
• IATI, common data standard. 
• SDG indicators to align outcomes and finances to track data.

‍

Photo by Conny Schneider on Unsplash

‍