ABSTRACT

Data visualisations of the 2011 Census were a key component in the Office for National Statistics’ plans to drive user engagement and awareness of key messages in the data. Interactive graphics were a feature of most census releases and were designed to attract a broad audience, from analysts through to citizen users. Social media and online syndication were used to bring the content to the widest possible audience. Within the broad genre of data visualisation, a variety of products were published, ranging from narrative through to exploratory interfaces. A final experiment saw the use of gamification techniques to make census data more personal, while challenging perceptions of official figures.