Where I find inspiration...
The bulk aisle
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/657742/whole-foods-bulk-aisle.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/657744/whole-foods-bulk-zoom.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/657743/whole-foods-spices.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/661800/whole-foods-spices.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/661800/whole-foods-spices.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/661828/whole-foods-spices_cropped.jpg)
Wear on doors
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/662266/Screen_Shot_2014-09-24_at_10.31.36_PM.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/662267/Screen_Shot_2014-09-24_at_10.31.47_PM.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2890237/pasted-from-clipboard.png)
Wear around buttons
Tennis
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/1748049/GRASS1-superJumbo.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/1748050/maxresdefault96.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/661882/SOM_Heatmap_Example_in_R_-_No_Legend.png)
Tans.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660445/6eb96d6037f3baac87db4ed196462690.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660447/3658386390_655dd0b062.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660449/farmer-tan.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660451/tan.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660452/unnamed.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/1756407/trucker-damage-face_web.jpg)
Carnegie Mellon fence
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660528/1.jpg)
Carnegie Mellon fence
Carnegie Mellon fence
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660521/3_Fence4.jpg)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/660526/pasted-from-clipboard.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/anitalillie/images/661943/stacked_area-01.png)
Evidence of something interacting with something else
...leaving its mark.
All of these examples are
Why physical metaphors?
- Human cognition is built for these physical things. We see these kinds of patterns easily.
- Thinking in this way helps you choose visual mappings that make sense.
- Making something mimic the real world gives it meaning.
What physical metaphors are used here?
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043278/Screen_Shot_2015-12-07_at_9.31.04_PM.png)
What physical metaphors are used here?
Weather in Austin, Texas
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043306/daily_high_and_low_temperature_temperature_f.png)
What physical metaphors are used here?
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043277/Screen_Shot_2015-12-07_at_9.29.20_PM.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043295/6a00d8341e992c53ef019aff91c822970c.jpg)
A little more abstract...
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043283/congress_large.png)
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043283/congress_large.png)
Transitions are physical, too
Maintain object permanence as much as possible.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043266/Screen_Shot_2015-12-07_at_9.13.07_PM.png)
Practice
backwards-engineering naturally-occurring visualizations.
- You will ask the right questions.
- You will come up with better data stories.
- You will tell them in a more intuitive way.
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/media-p.slid.es/uploads/190753/images/2043136/Screen_Shot_2015-12-07_at_7.40.45_PM.png)
Data vis inspiration
By Anita Lillie
Data vis inspiration
Aug 2016
- 1,770