2026-01-21 19:48:56
I’m very happy to announce details of a new public training course. This is a virtual ‘Masterclass in Data Visualisation‘ that will take place online over 14-16 April 2026, 9am to 1pm (UK, BST) each day.
The course is now open for registration and is relevant to anyone and everyone.
You can read more information about my training courses, which have been running since November 2011. Further public training events, virtual and classroom, will be arranged in response to demand and schedule availability. If your organisation would be interested in exploring options to arrange a training privately for your colleagues, just get in touch.
What is this training about?
This Masterclass training course provides attendees with a sophisticated understanding of how to communicate data visually in the most impactive way. Delivered online across three consecutive days of 4 hour sessions, this training de-constructs this complex, multi-disciplinary craft into an organised sequence of topics towards giving attendees a thorough appreciation of how to navigate through the many creative, editorial, and analytical options that exist.
In contrast to the shorter ‘Fundamentals of Data Visualisation’ training also offered by Andy Kirk, this course teaches the same contents but in more breadth and more detail, includes additional topics not covered in the shorter course, and has much more time to allow for opportunities to practice the learning on exercise activities.
Who is this training for?
This training is relevant to anyone who has a role in or undertakes duties involving the analysis, presentation, and communication of data. Whether your work is primarily concerned with building dashboards, creating infographics, constructing data stories, or producing charts for reports, its all part of the same world. This popular course will enlighten you with new ideas and approaches for visualising data in the most contextually-reasoned way.
Please note this is not technical training – you will not receive teaching in the form of instruction based tutorials for how to make charts in specific tools – but you will learn more about the profile of common tools that are being used in the field today, as well as access to many useful online references to help you develop your technical skills beyond the course.
For more information about the course contents and objectives visit the training page where you will also find a selection of testimonials from previous attendees.
Who is this training delivered by?
Andy Kirk is an independent data visualisation expert based in the UK. He is one of the most in-demand, experienced, and prolific educators in the field, having delivered over 430 public and private training courses since becoming a freelance professional in 2010. Visit Andy’s website, visualisingdata.com, to learn more about his training experiences as well as his other work in visualisation design, consultancy, lecturing, and book authoring.
Timings
To accommodate the unique demands of learning online, the Masterclass training will be delivered across a sequence of three consecutive 4-hour daily workshops, spread over Tuesday 14th, Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th April 2026. Each daily session commences at 9am and finishes no later than 1pm (UK, BST). There will be frequent short breaks during each session to help the brain, ears, and eyes briefly relax.
Technology
This course will be delivered entirely online, with Zoom (fully encrypted) selected as the technology to present and deliver the collaborative learning experience. Attendees will require a laptop or desktop computer with microphone access enabled as a minimum, a web camera is entirely optional.
The online whiteboard platform, Miro, will be used extensively during the course to collate and share exercise activities. More details will be provided in the class. Other than using a browser and a pdf reader, no additional tools will be necessary to have access to or skills with for this non-technical course.
Training materials will be issued digitally, including the teaching slides, exercise files and further useful resources, and delegates will receive instructions and information about this prior to the course resources. OneDrive, as a first preference, or WeTransfer, as an alternative, will be the typical methods used for material sharing.
All workshop sessions will be recorded to provide a backup track for any attendee who may experience any form of disruption or interruption to their course attendance (eg. meetings, home schooling, deliveries). These recordings will be shared online and will be available to watch up to 1 month after the course is completed.
Registration
Registration can be made online using the built-in Eventbrite payment processing system. Click on ‘Get Tickets’, choose the relevant ticket option, and then follow the instructions to complete the delegate registration and payment details.
If you would prefer to register offline and arrange payment via an invoice process for electronic transfer just email [email protected] to reserve your place and progress your registration.
Pricing: Fees, VAT charges, and Discounts!
The standard registration pricing for this course is £625+VAT per person. The total cost will depend on any additional processing fees, your VAT exemption status, and the application of potential discounts.
VAT charges are relevant to the following types of buyer:
VAT charges are exempt for the following types of buyer:
There are FOUR ways of joining this course at a reduced price…
(1) Subscribers to Andy Kirk’s Visualising Data Newsletter will find a promo code for a 10% discount mentioned in each monthly issue.
(2) Do you own a copy of the ‘Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design‘ book (any edition)? If you do there is a 10% discount available when using the promo code which is the full name of the final chart type in the gallery of methods presented in the book’s sixth chapter. The same final ‘chart’ is listed is all editions of the book. Removing the space, the code should be 7 characters in length.
To apply this discount, when you get to the training registration checkout, in the ‘Promo code’ box enter the code (not case sensitive) and this will reduce the price by 10%.
(3) Eventbrite charges a non-refundable processing fee of ~8% which applies to all registration types. To avoid incurring these additional charges you may instead choose to register offline and arrange payment via an invoice process for electronic transfer. If you/your organisation prefer this method please just email [email protected] to reserve your place and progress your registration.
(4) For some people interested in attending such training, finances can be a barrier. Whether it is due to the relative cost of living in your region or specific personal circumstances, it is entirely appreciated that financial obstacles will exist for some. As a commitment to widening access to these training courses, at least 2 places will be made available on this course, no questions asked, at a discounted ‘pay what you can afford’ basis.
If you would benefit from and feel you would qualify to take one of these available places please email [email protected] to make the necessary arrangements for your registration (ie. this may entail being issued with a discount code to apply to a standard registration procedure).
Cancellations and changes policy
Full refunds (less the non-refundable Eventbrite processing fees ~8%) are offered for any delegate cancellations made up to 7 days before the course start date. Please email [email protected] if this situation arises.
Cancellations made during the 7 days prior to the course starting will be offered a 50% refund (less processing fees), as it becomes much harder to fill a space vacated with such short notice.
Registrations can be switched to a different attendee. Please email [email protected] if this situation arises.
In the rare event the course itself has to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances all attendees will be offered a choice of a full refund (excluding processing fees) OR the opportunity to attend an alternative training course in the future. Refunds will be limited to registration costs alone, Visualising Data Ltd is not liable for any other costs incurred.
The post New Course: ‘Masterclass in Data Visualisation’ (Virtual, Apr 2026) appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
2026-01-16 20:19:50
Last week I had a lovely conversation as a guest on the Talk Data To Me podcast hosted by Georgina Sturge, author of ‘Sum of Us: A History of the UK in Data‘, formerly a statistical research at the library of the House of Commons and now a data consultant at the University of Oxford’s ‘Migration Observatory’.
I had a broad chat with Georgina about data visualisation – what it is, why it is a thing, who’s it relevant, what’s it about, where its come from and where its heading – and you can listen or watch this episode below or via the following platforms:
Many thanks again to Georgina for inviting me on and for the lovely discussion!
The power of data visualisation, with Andy Kirk by Georgina Sturge
The King of Data Viz 
spoke to me about high impact design, 'hidden thinking,' and how to get started with the craft of making data beautiful
The post Appearance on the Talk Data To Me Podcast appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
2026-01-08 19:57:16
Happy New Year!!
Happy New Year 
I don’t know about you, but one of my favourite traditions when entering the new year is fireworks. I’m not sure whose idea it was to colourfully bomb the sky to celebrate the passing of time, but whoever they were… they were correct.
London’s first official New Year’s Eve fireworks display took place in the year 2000, produced by Bob Geldof’s Ten Alps. An estimated three million pairs of eyeballs were glued to the spectacle. Since then, we’ve been locked in. And it’s not just London. From China to Dubai, New York to Sydney, fireworks have become a global language for celebration.
Which means, as we step into a new year, I have to ask the obvious Data in the Wild question:
WHAT IS THE DATA BEHIND FIREWORKS??
Welcome to Data in the Wild
Welcome to a new year and a new edition of Data in the Wild the series where I investigate how data is formed, measured, and quietly used to influence the world around us. And there are few better places to start the year than fireworks.
What does data have to do with fireworks?
As it turns out… quite a lot.
Fireworks displays don’t just “happen.” Behind every explosion of colour is a web of calculations, models, thresholds, and limits. Weather data, especially wind direction and strength, plays a huge role. When a firework is launched, what’s really happening is a controlled chemical reaction inside a shell, fired at a specific angle and height.
Once it explodes, gravity takes over. Debris, smoke, and fallout return to earth. For large-scale displays like New Year’s Eve in central London, planners model where that debris might land, how smoke will move, and how emissions could affect the surrounding environment and the people living there.
But while wind, trajectories, and carbon output matter, the variable I want to focus on is an invisible one and arguably the most important of all.
Sound.
Measuring the invisible: how loud is loud?
Sound is measured in decibels (dB) using sound sensors that capture changes in air pressure. These measurements give us benchmarks for what’s comfortable, uncomfortable, and outright dangerous.
Here’s a quick reference:
Generally speaking, prolonged exposure to sounds below 70 dB is considered safe. Above that, exposure time matters. Short bursts may be fine, but as sound levels increase, the risk of permanent hearing damage rises rapidly.
And this is where things get interesting.
Common Sense Media
Measuring the invisible: how loud is loud?
Sound is measured in decibels (dB) using sound sensors that capture changes in air pressure. These measurements give us benchmarks for what’s comfortable, uncomfortable, and outright dangerous.
Here’s a quick reference:
Generally speaking, prolonged exposure to sounds below 70 dB is considered safe. Above that, exposure time matters. Short bursts may be fine, but as sound levels increase, the risk of permanent hearing damage rises rapidly.
And this is where things get interesting.
Why a decibel chart can lie to you
If we were to chart these sounds on a simple bar chart, it might look like fireworks are just “a bit louder” than a concert or a siren.
But that chart would be misleading.
Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, not a linear one. This means that every increase of 10 dB represents roughly twice the perceived loudness.
So 120 dB isn’t just slightly louder than 110 dB it feels dramatically louder. Fire truck sirens often sit between 110 and 120 dB. Fireworks, at 150 dB or more, aren’t a small step beyond that. They’re operating in a completely different danger zone.
If fire sirens stuck in traffic are enough to give me a headache, fireworks clearly aren’t something our ears should take lightly.
How Data informs policy
This is why governments step in.
In the UK, consumer fireworks are legally capped at 120 dB, and there are strict rules about when fireworks can be used throughout the year. Not because fireworks aren’t beautiful but because sound isn’t just an experience, it’s a biological stressor.
Data doesn’t just measure noise here.
It decides who gets to make noise, how close, how often, and when.
It shapes policy, safety guidance, and cultural norms around celebration. It draws a line between “fun” and “harm”…even when that line is invisible.
Data in the Wild
Fireworks are a perfect example of Data in the Wild. Most of us look up at the sky and see colour, spectacle, and celebration. But hidden beneath that moment are thresholds, models, and measurements quietly working to keep that fun within acceptable limits.
So next time you’re watching colourful explosions ripple across the night sky, ask yourself:
Where do these fireworks sit on the scale?
Who decided that was safe?
And what invisible data is shaping the way we celebrate?
Because sometimes, the most powerful data isn’t what we see
it’s what we hear.
Fireworks don’t just light up the sky they’re shaped by data. From wind modelling to sound limits, invisible thresholds decide what counts as “safe fun.” This Data in the Wild piece explores how decibels, maths, and regulation quietly shape one of our most beloved celebrations.
Imagine mapping the world using light. That’s exactly what LiDAR does. It fires laser pulses that bounce off objects and return to a sensor, calculating distances with GCSE-level physics. Repeating this millions of times creates point clouds detailed 3D maps. From mapping cities to powering self-driving cars, LiDAR reveals the invisible.
Our five senses are amazing… but limited.
Enter remote sensing: satellites, planes, and sensors that upgrade how we see the world. From zooming in on Google Earth to mapping the ocean floor sometimes the best datasets aren’t online — they’re captured from above, below, and beyond.
The post Data in the wild #15: The Data Behind Fireworks appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
2025-12-18 22:23:19
I was recently invited by my publisher, Sage, to write a guest article for their ‘research methods community’ about a current theme in data visualisation. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this led me to look at AI and its potential role – and value – as a collaborator in data visualisation design.
In the two years since I first wrote a couple of pieces about my early sense-making of the relationship between AI and data viz (part 1 and part 2), the evolution of tools has been eye-wateringly rapid. So much so its almost impossible to reasonably find time to keep up with new applications.
What doesn’t change much though are the key elements of a data visualisation process that could benefit from such AI applications but not in a fully delegated way, rather in a collaborative role “augmenting our efforts to make tedious tasks more efficient and creative acts more ambitious”.
This piece focuses on this positive, perhaps hopeful, tone offering suggestions for ways I would appreciate enhanced support from AI and less about the now well-known – and not-insignificant risks or concerns. Due to word-count limitations I could only find room to briefly describe 12 distinct suggestions covering practical matters to do with data, creativity, design and evaluation.
You can read the article here.
The post Embracing AI as a collaborator in data visualisation design appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
2025-12-12 17:34:30
My November newsletter, that was sent out to subscribers a couple of weeks ago, is now open for all to read.
You can also access this issue, as well as visit the growing catalogue of previous issues, via the Newsletter page.
If you’re not already a subscriber, its time to change that! To receive this free monthly newsletter straight into your inbox you can sign up here or visit the Newsletter page to get a bit more background information and instructions.
Thank you as always to everyone who subscribes, reads, shares, visits and responds to this newsletter. But above all thank you to all the people doing ace work that I’m able to curate and share through these issues.
There won’t be a newsletter coming out this month but I’ll be back in January with a mega-bundle of contents covering things I encountered across November and December.
The post The November 2025 newsletter is now open to all appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
2025-11-19 02:57:12
I’m very happy to announce details of a new public training course: A two-day classroom-based ‘Masterclass in Data Visualisation‘ will take place in London on 5-6 February 2026.
The course is now open for registration and is relevant to anyone and everyone.
You can read more information about my training courses, which have been running since November 2011. Further public training events, virtual and classroom, will be arranged in response to demand and schedule availability. If your organisation would be interested in exploring options to arrange a training privately for your colleagues, just get in touch.
What is this training about?
This Masterclass training course provides attendees with a sophisticated understanding of how to communicate data visually in the most impactive way. Delivered over two full-day sessions this training de-constructs this complex, multi-disciplinary craft into an organised sequence of topics towards giving attendees a thorough appreciation of how to navigate through the many creative, editorial, and analytical options that exist.
In contrast to the shorter ‘Fundamentals of Data Visualisation’ training also offered by Andy Kirk, this course teaches the same contents but in more breadth and more detail, includes additional topics not covered in the shorter course, and has much more time to allow for opportunities to practice the learning on exercise activities.
Who is this training for?
This training is relevant to anyone who has a role in or undertakes duties involving the analysis, presentation, and communication of data. Whether your work is primarily concerned with building dashboards, creating infographics, constructing data stories, or producing charts for reports, its all part of the same world. This popular course will enlighten you with new ideas and approaches for visualising data in the most contextually-reasoned way.
Please note this is not technical training – you will not receive teaching in the form of instruction based tutorials for how to make charts in specific tools – but you will learn more about the profile of common tools that are being used in the field today, as well as access to many useful online references to help you develop your technical skills beyond the course.
For more information about the course contents and objectives visit the training page where you will also find a selection of testimonials from previous attendees.
Who is this training delivered by?
Andy Kirk is an independent data visualisation expert based in the UK. He is one of the most in-demand, experienced, and prolific educators in the field, having delivered over 430 public and private training courses since becoming a freelance professional in 2010. Visit Andy’s website, visualisingdata.com, to learn more about his training experiences as well as his other work in visualisation design, consultancy, lecturing, and book authoring.
Where will this training be held?
This course will be held at the new premises of Canva at Bersey Warehouse, which is located at 293 Old Street on the corner with Coronet Street in the Hoxton area of London (postcode: EC1V 9LA) – about 6 minutes walk from Old Street underground station. Specific arrival instructions will be provided to all attendees priort to the course. Lunch is NOT provided but there will be access to hot/cold drinks and snack refreshments throughout the day. The venue is closely located to many nearby cafes and sandwich shop opens.
Timings
On both days this training commences at 9:30am and finishes around 4:30pm. Arrival will be open from 9am onwards. There will be breaks during all morning and afternoon sessions, and a lunch break each day of around 60 minutes.
Technology
Attendees are requested to bring a laptop to use as a workspace for the session. The event is not technical in nature but this will enable you to access the course materials and exercise files referred to during the sessions. You will not require any specialist software beyond Excel/Sheets, a pdf reader, and a browser. Across a day you should expect to need around 3 hours of charge. Power access will be provided for charging devices.
The online whiteboard platform, Miro, will be used extensively during the course to collate and share exercise activities. More details will be provided in the class. Other than using a browser and a pdf reader, no additional tools will be necessary to have access to or skills with for this non-technical course.
Training materials will be issued digitally, including the teaching slides, exercise files and further useful resources, and delegates will receive instructions and information about this prior to the course resources. OneDrive, as a first preference, or WeTransfer, as an alternative, will be the typical methods used for material sharing.
Registration
Registration can be made online using the built-in Eventbrite payment processing system below. Click on ‘Get Tickets’, choose the relevant ticket option, and then follow the instructions to complete the delegate registration and payment details.
If you would prefer to register offline and arrange payment via an invoice process for electronic transfer just email [email protected] to reserve your place and progress your registration.
Pricing: Fees, VAT charges, and Discounts!
The standard registration pricing for this course is £625+VAT per person. The total cost will depend on any additional processing fees, your VAT exemption status, and the application of potential discounts.
VAT charges are relevant to the following types of buyer:
VAT charges are exempt for the following types of buyer:
There are FOUR ways of joining this course at a reduced price…
(1) Subscribers to Andy Kirk’s Visualising Data Newsletter will find a promo code for a 10% discount mentioned in each monthly issue.
(2) Do you own a copy of the ‘Data Visualisation: A Handbook for Data Driven Design‘ book (any edition)? If you do there is a 10% discount available when using the promo code which is the full name of the final chart type in the gallery of methods presented in the book’s sixth chapter. The same final ‘chart’ is listed is all editions of the book. Removing the space, the code should be 7 characters in length.
To apply this discount, when you get to the training registration checkout, in the ‘Promo code’ box enter the code (not case sensitive) and this will reduce the price by 10%.
(3) Eventbrite charges a non-refundable processing fee of ~8% which applies to all registration types. To avoid incurring these additional charges you may instead choose to register offline and arrange payment via an invoice process for electronic transfer. If you/your organisation prefer this method please just email [email protected] to reserve your place and progress your registration.
(4) For some people interested in attending such training, finances can be a barrier. Whether it is due to the relative cost of living in your region or specific personal circumstances, it is entirely appreciated that financial obstacles will exist for some. As a commitment to widening access to these training courses, at least 2 places will be made available on this course, no questions asked, at a discounted ‘pay what you can afford’ basis.
If you would benefit from and feel you would qualify to take one of these available places please email [email protected] to make the necessary arrangements for your registration (ie. this may entail being issued with a discount code to apply to a standard registration procedure).
Cancellations and changes policy
Full refunds (less the non-refundable Eventbrite processing fees ~8%) are offered for any delegate cancellations made up to 7 days before the course start date. Please email [email protected] if this situation arises.
Cancellations made during the 7 days prior to the course starting will be offered a 50% refund (less processing fees), as it becomes much harder to fill a space vacated with such short notice.
Registrations can be switched to a different attendee. Please email [email protected] if this situation arises.
In the rare event the course itself has to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances all attendees will be offered a choice of a full refund (excluding processing fees) OR the opportunity to attend an alternative training course in the future. Refunds will be limited to registration costs alone, Visualising Data Ltd is not liable for any other costs incurred.
The post New Course: ‘Masterclass in Data Visualisation’ (London, Feb 2026) appeared first on Data Viz Excellence, Everywhere.
