Datawrapper

Leading media organizations are using Datawrapper, a simple and free tool, to improve their storytelling this way. Datawrapper is an interactive chart app that can be embedded into stories

Begin creating your visualisation

Once you’ve logged into Datawrapper, select the visualisation you would like to create from the options above. If you’re looking for specific types of charts, tables or maps, the options further will direct you towards making the right choice.

Import your data

No matter what format your data might be in (XLS, CSV etc), Datawrapper works with different formats as shown below. Simply copy-paste or upload your spreadsheet into the white box to begin your visualisation process. Data for a new chart and a new table must be uploaded in a similar way.

However, if you’re working on a map, selecting the type of map is the first step towards visualising data in this form. You can then move on to specify the kind of map you require based on world, continent and country maps. This will then direct you to a similar page to upload your data.

Check and describe your rows and columns

Make sure your data is in the correct row and column for Datawrapper to extract the numbers and display them in the form of visualisation you will select. You can swap your data around if the table doesn’t look the way you expected it to using the ‘transpose’ option shown below. Reminder: check your data at least 3 times before moving on to the next step!

Annotate your visualisation

One last step until you have the final version of your data visualisation. The ‘annotate’ tab is where all the descriptive elements for your chart or map will go – with a box for where you extracted your data from. This is particularly useful if at any point after creating your visual, you want to access the original data used by simply clicking on ‘get data’ at the bottom of your published visualisation.

Text annotations help you add keywords anywhere on the chart or map (placed according to your choice) to enhance the understanding of your visual in the eyes of a reader.