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Read, Write, Think Data: A Step-by-Step Guide to Turning Data Into Wisdom by Ben Jones
The companion book to our on-demand course Data Literacy Level 2: Working Effectively with Data. Reading and interpreting charts and dashboards has become a daily task for all of us, but these days many of us find ourselves needing to work with raw data more and more often. The spreadsheets and databases we come across don’t announce their insights to us upfront. Instead, they require us to roll up our sleeves and sift them to find what’s hidden and valuable within them, like gold in a mine. Read, Write, Think Data by Ben Jones presents a tool-agnostic framework for posing powerful questions of data, preparing it for analysis, exploring what’s there, arriving at the “Aha!” moment, and then turning that insight into a compelling message that will help you drive change within your organization. The process can be followed with any tool, and multiple “how to” tutorials are included within to help you learn the ropes. “Want to learn how to read and use charts? That shouldn’t take long. How about creating charts? There are some great tools available that have short learning curves. But extracting, understanding, distilling, and accurately and ethically communicating insights from data? That’s not a trivial undertaking, but with this book, Ben will get you and your organization there a lot faster.” -Steve Wexler, Author of The Big Picture and Co-Author of The Big Book of Dashboard -
Data Literacy Fundamentals: Understanding the Power & Value of Data by Ben Jones
The companion book to our on-demand course Data Literacy Fundamentals: Understanding the Power & Value of Data. Data Literacy Fundamentals covers foundational topics such as the overall goal of data, various ways of measuring and categorizing the world, five different forms of data analysis and when they apply, pros and cons related to how we display data in tabular or graphic form, and the way teams work together to convert data into insight. This book has been written for anyone who is just getting started with data and who wants to feel more confident in their understanding of what it is, what it isn't, and what it's used for. "There has never been a more important time in business, public service, media or our personal lives to realize there is a new literacy in town. Data literacy. An equalizing force in society, it is a ticket to ride. And it is based on a previously unnamed language - that of 'speaking data'. With Data Literacy Fundamentals, Ben Jones offers a great service - that of beginning to demystify the basics and setting the foundation. A must-read for anyone starting the journey to grow their own data literacy." -Valerie Logan, CEO of the DATA LODGE "Ben Jones has a remarkable gift to convey the power of data and analytics, through the journey that is data literacy. Readers of this book will gain insight, knowledge, and power to improve their data and analytics journey." - Jordan Morrow, Head of the Data Literacy Project, Qlik -
Learning to See Data: How to Interpret the Visual Language of Charts by Ben Jones
The companion book to our on-demand course Data Literacy Level 1: Learning to See Data. This book will help you develop fluency in the interpretation of charts, an ability that we all need to hone and perfect if we are to make meaningful contributions in the professional, public and personal arenas of life. The principles covered in it also serve as a critical background for anyone looking to create charts that others will be able to understand. "This book is clear and evocative, thorough and thoughtful, and remarkably readable: a marvelous launchpad into the world of data." –Tamara Munzner, Professor, University of British Columbia Computer Science "Everyone of us needs good data literacy skills to survive in the modern world. Without them, it's hard to succeed at work, or survive the onslaught of information (and misinformation) across all our media. Ben's book provides the necessary building blocks for a strong foundation. From that foundation, Ben's approach will inspire you to own the process of developing your skills further." –Andy Cotgreave, Technical Evangelism Director, Tableau
