Data-Tat-Tat

For the past few years, we have been working with the People Analytics group at Wharton School of Business. Not only are these some of the most inventive and inspired thinkers in the business, but they also happen to be great people to work with and a great client. We are very fortunate to work in situations that invite collaboration and ideas. The object is always to make things better. Anytime you can say that about a working relationship, you’re in a good place.

Every year we ramp up our efforts leading up to the annual Wharton People Analytics Conference. Each time around all of the materials go through general updates and improvements. The idea is generally to keep the time and materials similar to the previous, while making everything a little more articulate in the process.

The deliverables include a 48 page program book, an 8 page addendum to the department site, signage and various branded elements.

Another key piece debuted at 2018 Conference was a graphic to accurately visualize exactly what Wharton People Analytics and its People Lab do. After several rounds of design, we arrived at a colorful quatrefoil infographic that interweaves the four core elements that make up the organization: Research, Education, Practice and Community.

This was the first year we had the pleasure of attending the conference. Being a big sports fan it was fun to hear Howie Roseman speak about sports analytics and how that guided him to assemble a championship NFL team. Before Howie, Daniel Pink gave a 30 minute talk on the analytics of TIME. This was was far more exciting than I had expected going in. Pink seems like a guy in constant motion and loaded with ideas and ways of explaining them. He packs his talks with information that everyone comes in contact with and learns from.

That said, it was the work of Data Analytics Artist Georgia Lupi that really showed how fascinating and beautiful data can be. Georgia is someone who truly takes on the visual display of information in using it as an art form. Others have certainly done this.

Edward Tufte opened my eyes to the power and beauty found in these bits of information. What I loved about Tufte was when he shared and showed comparisons as well as the origins of the visual display of data. He also alerted us to how confusing poorly conceived information graphics can be.

Georgia Lupi is one of the few people that I am aware of that uses data as raw material to make art. I am officially on a mission to find out more and know more. Great stuff.