Uncertainties
A four-week-long individual project.
The goal for this project was through visualizing raw datasets to tell a story of “uncertainties”. I chose IUCN red list threatened species as my source datasets to design an infographic data visualization. Through my visualization, I want to express my concerns about the uncertainty of the environment and bring awareness to the audience.
+ Data Visualization
Process Dataset:
I choose IUCN Red List as the original dataset. Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species is the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus, and plant species.
Dataset 1: IUCN Red List version 2021
Estimated number of described species
Number of species evaluated by IUCN
Number of threatened species
Dataset 2: Changes in numbers of species from 2012 to 2021
Total assessed number / year
Total threatened number / year
By further evaluating all the raw datasets, I decided to focus on vertebrate species because they have a higher percentage of evaluation by IUCN so the species number data has a better representation of the real situation.
Ideation:
Based on the initial analysis of the datasets, I started sketching some ideas on paper to help me figure out the best way to visualize both the quantitive and qualitative aspects of the data. Different styles and forms are being explored during the process, it helps me to sort out the data I need and the story I want to tell through this visualization.
Prototyping:
I started the prototyping process by putting the datasets into Flourish to create a line chart. From this line chart, we can see that not all species threatened numbers go higher over the years. This makes me realised that I needed to add in some more context regarding the reasons for the threatened species number increase.
Flourish: Threatened species number from 2012 to 2021
Concepts: Species network mapping
Synthesis:
By creating prototypes and using Flourish to process the datasets, I got a better view of the information I want to deliver to audiences through the data visualization. I decide to make an infographic to show the evaluation done by IUCN and what we can learn about the animal population condition for the past decade.
After creating the first iteration of the datavis, I gathered feedback from others to help me improve the design. Because there are multiple datasets presented in this infographic, each dataset needs to have the context to explain it, and there needs to be a unified use of color. Most importantly, they all need to convey the same message to the audience.
Final Visualization:
Designing this infographic was a great learning experience and rewarding in the end. Not just learning how to turn raw data into a visualization, but also enabled me the opportunity to have a closer look at the fragile environment and endanger species. I hope that through my visualization, I can send a clear message to the audience that we need to take action to protect and preserve biodiversity for the future.
