[ddj] Introducing Datawrapper

Thu Mar 1 07:21:21 UTC 2012

Dear all,
apologies for a longer post today, but there are some news:

Six days ago we launched Datawrapper. The tool aims to "wrap" data, as a
means to create and embed a visualization in easy steps, using modern HTML5
charts.

Datawrapper is simple to use and cuts down the time to create and embed a
basic, but interactive chart. Furthermore it is open source, use is free
and if an organization downloads and installs the tool, there is much
better control over privacy of the data and the appearance of the charts.
As a bow to the Open Data movement Datawrapper automatically offers the
option to download the raw data.

The tool is part of a larger initiative for structured data-journalism
training, supported by ABZV, a German non-profit training institution for
journalists. Next up will be Datastory.de, a website in German with
tutorials for data-driven journalism.

To cut it short: Response was very positive. There where several web
articles about Datawrapper (see links below) and there is positive buzz on
Twitter. A bit surprisingly we got calls and mails from non-journalist
organizations (NGOs, government) who are interested in simple
visualizations as well. Five days after launch we had 12.000 visitors
(4.000 on Wednesday alone). Several newspapers saw the tool, registered and
published a first chart on their live pages the same day - e.g.
Ruhrnachrichten, L'Avenir in Belgium and a group of journalist trainees
from Hamburg.

It is important to us that "simple visualization" is not perceived as
"dumb infographics". We think that a good simple chart can tell a story and
first tryouts of users show that it works quite well. This is the beta, the
next development cycle aims to open new ways and more advanced visuals, by
using the incredible D3.JS library of Michael Bostock and other libraries.

I would like to thank Nicolas Kayser-Bril in public for his awesome
development work here. The fact that we both care for data-driven
journalism made development intense, but basically straightforward. In
total it took 10 month from first ideas to the launch. Furthermore: We do
not see this as competition with other tools, this whole new view on open
data, transparency and data interrogation is just starting. We need a full
suite of cool tools for meaningful work with data. Datawrapper is good for
some work, but not for everything.

If you find the time, give it a try - the tool is available in German,
English and French.
http://www.datawrapper.de

If you have feedback and ideas for the future, send us an e-mail via
info at datawrapper.de. If you are interested in contributing or further
development of your own - Datawrapper is on Github. We would be very happy
seeing a community of interest developing around this, not the tool, but
the concept of using data more and better.

*Web posts about Datawrapper here: *
Datadrivenjournalism.net: Always walk before you run: Datawrapper breaks
down barriers in visualising and publishing data
http://datadrivenjournalism.net/news_and_analysis/datawrapper_breaks_down_barriers_in_visualising_and_publishing_data

*Visualisingdata.com: Datawrapper: Open Source data visualisation creator*
http://www.visualisingdata.com/index.php/2012/02/datawrapper-open-source-data-visualisation-creator/

*MedialDigital: Daten verpacken leicht(er) gemacht*
http://medialdigital.de/2012/02/23/datawrapper-daten-verpacken-leichter-gemacht/

*Datawrapper in use:*
*L'Avenir (Belgium):*
http://www.lavenir.net/article/detail.aspx?articleid=DMF20120229_00124669
*Ruhrnachrichten (Germany):*
http://www.ruhrnachrichten.de/lokales/dortmund/Erstmals-wird-in-Dortmund-weniger-gegen-Hartz-IV-geklagt;art930,1565639
*Hohe Luft (Germany)*, created by young journalists in Hamburg:
http://akademievolos.de/wpmu/februar12/2012/02/28/reich-und-kinderarm-der-durchschnitts-hohelufter/

Regards,

Mirko Lorenz
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