Poster presentations

A contribution to a conference forming a one hour lunch-time session to exhibit & discuss visual outputs completed by students on the BA(Hons) GMD Information Design course and Martin Ashley's own work. The visual outputs discussion was presented at an Open University one-day conference with the posters being exhibited for the duration of the day.

Poster 1: ROTHSCHILD BANKING GROUP
Abstract: Part of a series of re-designed diagrams for the Investment Bank Rothschild. Over 50 diagrams were audited and re-designed. A visual toolkit was created in PowerPoint which could be assembled as required. The kit included all the required visual components: graphs, tables, type, headings, colour palette, maps, bullet points, lines, bars etc. Comprehensive training and locked-down templates were given to all bankers. The example showed how an economic statistician successfully created a highly credible designed diagram. Design: Martin Ashley Associates

Poster 2: PROSTRATE CANCER BROADSHEET
Abstract: Poster broadsheet to educate the public on prostate cancer with symptoms to look out for. Seral Mustafa: LCC- London College of Communication. Final Year student BA(Hons) Information Design

Poster 3: OVERVIEW: VISUALISED STATISTICS RELATING TO PROSTATE, BREAST & PROSTRATE CANCER
Abstract: A very user-friendly summary with clear diagrams/charts. The use of a light grey with clear typography means the data gets the maximum chance to communicate. Seral Mustafa: LCC- London College of Communication. Final Year student BA(Hons) Information Design.

Poster 4: VISUALISATION OF FINANCIAL DATA IN 3D
Abstract: Evolving an effective way of overlaying multiple data sets of equities for financial instruments that was easier to read and had a higher density than existing solutions. Allowed 'drilling' down into detailed datasets. Created by Alex Graul in tangent with venture capitalists for a London based Hedge Fund. Copyright/registration: Alex Graul. Design: Alex Graul LCC- London College of Communication. Final Year student BA(Hons)Information Design

The presentation is related to Martin Ashley's research on overcoming excess data (‘Datasmog’) by using information Design to ‘convert’ key messages into graphs, tables or diagrams. The intention is to visually demonstrate to this audience how their statistics could be more meaningful and clear.

Statistics interfaces with the wider world in several ways and the perception among statisticians is that the presentation of statistical thought and statistical analysis is often wanting. Problems include insufficient information, distorted (sometimes deliberate) interpretations, misunderstood computer output and biases introduced by poor sampling frames. Major areas where misrepresentation is widely acknowledged include the results of medical research, experimental designs, statistics based on reports in the media, government statistics, and graphical/visual presentation in much of the applied (non-statistical) research literature (e.g. market research). Other major areas include the social and behavioural sciences, and genomics. In this context, presentation is viewed as not being solely related to visual presentation but concerned with all aspects of how results of research are presented to the public. It is time to debate concerns. Furthermore, public confidence in official statistics is very low in the United Kingdom - a 2007 survey found it was the lowest in the European Union. Why is this - it does not reflect the quality of the data - and to what extent are perceptions of government interference the cause? How can the situation be improved? This formed the basis of Visualisation and Presentation in Statistics, the 24th rather-more-frequent-than-annual Open University statistics conference, which is of interest to both statisticians and users of statistics. The conference aimed to bring together people interested in both graphical and textual presentation of results of statistical analyses. Public confidence in official statistics is very low in European countries. It is time to debate concerns and to demonstrate examples of how results of research should be presented to the public. The conference featured a broad range of invited talks from Michael Blastland, John Aldrich, Rosemary Bailey, Martin Bland, Wally Gilks, David Spiegelhalter, Michel van de Velden, Tony Hirst and Jill Leyland, along with an introduction by John Gower.

The conference included 9 invited talks along with an introduction by John C. Gower, and poster presentations on the relevant topics and themes.

• Organisation