14. Designing for Effectiveness

It’s easy to agree on what “effectiveness” means, but finding a consensus on how to measure it is much harder. Effectiveness doesn’t exist on its own; there is “effectiveness to whom” (where who defines the parameters) and “effectiveness regarding what” (the task).

In data visualization, the word “effectiveness” is thrown around a lot, so let’s try to understand its scope. First, imagine yourself in the role of:

A scientist, sharing with fellow scientists the results of your team’s latest experiment on vaccine safety.

A policy maker, trying to change the behavior of reluctant mothers regarding vaccine safety.

An artist, creating a beautiful piece of data art that raises awareness of the issue of unvaccinated ...

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