More than Just Another Pretty Graph: Better Communicate Science through Improved Visual Communication

Understanding best practices for visual communications can be daunting. While scientists are regularly expected to communicate complex information through visuals, they are not often trained in modern approaches to visual communications. Ideally, all scientists would have access to a designer who could translate their ideas into easy-to-understand and compelling products. Even without access to a designer, scientists can use some basic techniques to improve their visuals, better communicate science, and engage a broader audience. This talk will discuss a modern approach to graph design. Participants will explore the steps taken, start to finish, to transform fisheries data into a meaningful visualization.