Having lots of data available to play with is one thing, but it’s just as important to have novel ways of playing with it. The intentional use of the data compiled here is an important part of its use. You know what you want, you find the dataset, select your variables, choose your chart, make it pretty, save it. That’s great if you already know what point you’re trying to make.
But the Data Room is also designed to create data sketches. Building visualizations is quick and easy so that it doesn’t take much effort to change how the data are presented. That means if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, or exactly what the data are telling you, you can kick it around in a number of different formats until the message is clear. You can change the time period, or the time interval from months to years. You can add and subtract products or countries included in your chart – all with a couple of judicious clicks. To get you started quickly with some of the more dynamic features of the Data Room, where the Machine is helping you along, here are 5 easy pieces to try.
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1. Search: Enter a key word in the search box and see what comes back. The results are returned in three groups: Datasets, Time Series and Visualizations. Not all of those visualizations were made by someone. Type “Burundi” in the search box and see what comes back. Nobody built those charts. The Machine did it. Your key word is set in the context of a chart. You can immediately start using the returned charts. You can thank the Machine later.
2. Random Selection: select any dataset and open it in data view. In the middle of the data view, where your chart will appear, there is a link: random selection. Click on it. You just asked the Machine to return to you a random representation of some aspect of your dataset. You’re welcome.
3. Shared with me: If you’re just arriving in the Data Room for the first time it can look like a pretty barren place. Click on the Charts link in the menu at the top. Then select “Shared with me.” Charts that have been created by the team at First River, or maybe your co-workers, will show up there. They offer a starting point or a template for your own charts and analyses. Save a copy and then go to work.
4. Click on something: The first rule of the Data Room is to explore it. You can’t break it. This is especially true when you’re trying to make a chart look like you want it. Often the thing you need is a small button, or check box that isn’t very prominent. So for instance, in a graph you can identify the units of measurement in two places, once in the title and once on the y-axis. You don’t need the y-axis designation. If you get rid of it, your chart will take up the real estate. To do so, go to Edit your chart (those three little lines, top right) and on the appearance tab, go to ‘Axes.’ There’s a little button there that says ‘Ignore Units’ – if you click on it, your units will disappear from the y-axis. For the thrill of it, now click on ‘Swap Axes’ right next to it.
5. Use the curly brackets: If you have a chart that you want to replicate for a number of different products or countries or time periods, you don’t want to have to type and retype the titles. Curly brackets are the answer. If you type {Commodity}{Indicator} in a chart for instance, that title will always return the name of the commodity and the indicator such as {Rebar}{Imports} – without the brackets. Once it’s set, it will change when you change selections.
