In Defense of Imprecision: Why Traditional Approaches to Data Visualization are Changing – ODSC Boston 2015

In the worlds of research, science, and academia, much attention is given to precision, objectivity, and de-biasing data. The ability to “lie with data” is a legitimate concern. In business analytics, and the burgeoning area of consumer-facing data visualization, though, complete objectivity is not the singular goal, because these situations are about business and personal decision making-processes that are filled with subjectivity–and also with creativity and intuition.

Mark Schindler is co-founder and Managing Director of GroupVisual.io, a Cambridge, MA consultancy that specializes in making Big Data consumable for human beings through the design of data visualization and data-driven user experiences. For over 15 years, he has designed business analytics and visualization systems for clients like Johnson & Johnson, GE, and Eli Lilly.