Saving your job through data visualisation

Most Churchill Club events start with an idea, something I have noticed that then sits in the back of my head weeks, months or years until I understand how it “fits” as a good event. 

An example of this is data visualisation, or the way that complexity is being represented as an accessible visual medium. Occasionally I get flicked funny bits and pieces such as a pie chart which represents how much of a pie chart looks like a Pac Man, however there is a lot more serious use going on. For example:

• Information maps: Such as the roadmap of trends and technology from NowAndNext.
• Displaying data: Such as this wonderful display of scientific evidence for popular health supplements from Information is Beautiful.
• Displaying concepts: Such as this representation of Capitalism from Speldwright.
• Interpreting data: Such as this image on understanding how the sexes perceive colours by GraphJam
• Displaying connections: Such as this representation of word usage and flow in poetry. 

And this is just the start. Word clouds are now commonplace and most blogging software has components that can automatically generate them for you. There is also some great merging of domains such as this execution of psychology, cartooning and animation by RSA Animate and Dan Pink on YouTube.

In this new world of data visualisation there are no rules – just a marrying of analytical insight and creativity.

Technological advances have allowed this to happen, with some fabulous tools online for data visualisation as well as in packages. One of my favourite tools is VUE from Tufts University.  I regularly use it for mapping out my thoughts.

But what is the driver? I think it’s an impact of globalisation and technology. If you are a white-collar worker doing routine work, you know you are pretty much going to be losing your job at some stage to either a low labour cost country or your job will be automated.

However, what is now happening is that the automation trend is creeping up higher the ladder and in many places expert systems and automation are unexpectedly replacing “professional” jobs.  Machines such as the Autorefractor will replace your average Optometrist, 3D printing will replace some engineering jobs and tools for automatically building websites are now legion.

The only defence against losing your job is to start innovating and start being creative. I think this is the major driver in the interest of data visualisation as well as interest in topics such as design thinking as a business tool. Perhaps the Churchill Club event isn’t on data visualisation, perhaps it’s actually about the rape and pillage of ideas and methodologies from the design world.

Brendan Lewis is a serial technology entrepreneur having founded: Ideas Lighting, Carradale Media, Edion, Verve IT, The Churchill Club and Flinders Pacific. He has set up businesses for others in Romania, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Vietnam and is the sole Australian representative of the City of London for Foreign Direct Investment. Qualified in IT and Accounting, he has also spent time running an Advertising agency and as a Cavalry Officer with the Australian Army Reserve.