Course

Telling Stories Using Data Visualization and Information Design

In this course, you’ll learn how to use information design and data visualization to tell compelling stories. Not everyone can intuitively understand the insights hidden in a dataset, which is why data visualization is such an invaluable skill in data science. By the end, you’ll be able to transform raw data into actionable visualizations.

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Part of the Data Analyst (Python), and Data Scientist (Python) paths.

4.8 (359 reviews)

15,752 learners enrolled in this course.

Intermediate friendly
5 hours
Self paced
5 lessons
1 project

“For me, Dataquest was great because it was all hands-on projects — there weren’t any videos, so I could just read through and go at my own pace.”

Isaac Pato

Data Science / Quality Engineer @Cirium

Telling Stories Using Data Visualization and Information Design

Enroll For Free

Course overview

This particular course is for intermediate Python users, and it builds upon the essentials covered in our previous Python visualization lessons. You’ll learn how to use Python libraries like Matplotlib and Seaborn to transform raw data into compelling and actionable visualizations. You’ll learn the most common data visualization techniques, and you’ll use Python to generate beautiful, insightful, and meaningful visuals that will give new life to your data.

Best of all, you’ll learn by doing — you’ll practice and get feedback directly in the browser. You’ll apply your skills to several guided projects involving realistic business scenarios to build your portfolio and prepare for your next interview.

Key skills

Using information design principles to build narratives
Building data visualizations to tell compelling stories
Creating graphs using information design principles
Creating visual patterns using Gestalt principles

Course outline

Telling Stories Using Data Visualization and Information Design [5 lessons]

Design for an Audience 2h

Lesson Objectives

Create graphs using design principles
Choose the proper graph using the familiarity principle
Improve a graph by maximizing the data-ink ratio
Make advanced graph edits using Matplotlib

Storytelling Data Visualization 2h

Lesson Objectives

Identify the elements of a data story
Build a data story using Matplotlib

Gestalt Principles and Pre-Attentive Attributes 1h

Lesson Objectives

Recognize patterns among distinct objects
Create data visualizations using Gestalt principles
Control attention using pre-attentive attributes

Matplotlib Styles: FiveThirtyEight Case Study 1h

Lesson Objectives

Employ Matplotlib's built-in styles
Create a FiveThirtyEight graph using Matplotlib

Guided Project: Storytelling Data Visualization on Exchange Rates 1h

Lesson Objectives

Create a story using data
Create data visualizations using brainstorming and sketching
Create a narrative data visualization using Matplotlib

Projects in this course

Storytelling Data Visualization on Exchange Rates

For this project, we’ll assume the role of a data analyst tasked with creating an explanatory data visualization about Euro exchange rates to inform and engage an audience.

View Project

The Dataquest guarantee

Dataquest has helped thousands of people start new careers in data. If you put in the work and follow our path, you’ll master data skills and grow your career.

We believe so strongly in our paths that we offer a full satisfaction guarantee. If you complete a career path on Dataquest and aren’t satisfied with your outcome, we’ll give you a refund.

Master skills faster with Dataquest

Go from zero to job-ready

Learn exactly what you need to achieve your goal. Don’t waste time on unrelated lessons.

Build your project portfolio

Build confidence with our in-depth projects, and show off your data skills.

Challenge yourself with exercises

Work with real data from day one with interactive lessons and hands-on exercises.

Showcase your path certification

Share the evidence of your hard work with your network and potential employers.

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Aaron Melton

Business Analyst at Aditi Consulting

“Dataquest starts at the most basic level, so a beginner can understand the concepts. I tried learning to code before, using Codecademy and Coursera. I struggled because I had no background in coding, and I was spending a lot of time Googling. Dataquest helped me actually learn.”

Jessica Ko

Machine Learning Engineer at Twitter

“I liked the interactive environment on Dataquest. The material was clear and well organized. I spent more time practicing then watching videos and it made me want to keep learning.”

Victoria E. Guzik

Associate Data Scientist at Callisto Media

“I really love learning on Dataquest. I looked into a couple of other options and I found that they were much too handhold-y and fill in the blank relative to Dataquest’s method. The projects on Dataquest were key to getting my job. I doubled my income!”