Light becomes a digital picture
A photograph is a useful representation built from samples of light.
Numbers, meaning, and a little context
Make thenumbers easierto understand.
A thoughtful collection of ideas for turning tables and measurements into useful questions.
Open the fieldbook Make information easier to work with.
01 The fieldbook
Useful structure for everyday data.
Mean and median see different details
Two summaries of the same collection can emphasize different aspects of it.
Training and use are different stages
Learning a model’s parameters and producing a response have different roles.
02 Our point of view
Readable tables.
Portable context.
An independent journal about tables, files, and the definitions that help data travel. Practical essays on collecting, organizing, and preserving useful context.
Our point of view01
Define before comparing
Know the unit, population, and time window before deciding what changed.
02
Show the limits
Missing information and uncertainty belong alongside a result.
03
Use the simplest useful view
A clear table or chart should support a question rather than compete with it.
03 A closer look
One field, a clearer meaning.
Rounding without losing the point
The displayed precision should support the comparison a reader needs to make.
04 Keep exploring
Keep the context with the collection.
A dashboard with a question beside it
A useful collection of charts makes its purpose easier to see.
Energy and power answer different questions
The amount used and the rate of use describe different parts of the same task.
Units travel with the column
A table should remain interpretable after it leaves its original application.
A small idea to take with you
Explain one column
Find a field in a small table. Write its meaning, unit, and the rule for a missing value as though another person will use the file.