The social life of visualization

Visualization of data could enable individuals to explore open data, understand what is going on, and engage with it. The framework relies on the use of visualization as an interface to explore data and support social collaboration around it. At the basis of the data visualization framework is the distinction between an object-centered social network and an ego-centered one. In the process of shared storytelling, a well-established visual language has to exist so that the properties of the data can be communicated. The social life of visualization includes moving from raw data to data storytelling, involving processes of mapping, where communication objectives are translated into visualization schemas. Next step is decoration that is, creating an identity around the visualization and placing it in the social space, tweaking and annotation, interfaces to interrogate and mark up the representation of data; and snapshot-enabling storytelling to grow around data visualization.