Presentation given at Dutch Information Visualisation Event 2014

1. StatMine – prototypeStatMine
Exploring official statistics
Martijn Tennekes, Edwin de Jonge, Jan van der Laan & Jessica
Statistics Netherlands (CBS)
Visweek 2013
StatMine, statistical
goldmine
Edwin de Jonge (@edwindjonge)
Jan van der Laan, Jessica Solcer
Statistics Netherlands / CBS
Dutch Information Visualisation Event 2014, June 19, 2014

2. StatMine 0.2
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Statistics Netherlands / CBS
- Creates and publishes official statistics on economics,
demographics, health care and others.
- Since 1899
- Website: www.cbs.nl
- Online DB: http://statline.cbs.nl (since 1997)

3. Why StatMine?
– Online StatLine contains more than one billion (109)
facts
‐ Policy makers
‐ Journalists
‐ Citizens
‐ Enterprises
‐ Economists
‐ Social scientist
‐ Historicians
‐ etc
StatMine 0.2
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4. StatMine
4
Problem 1
Numbers ≠ Information

5. 1. Numbers ≠ Information
We know from a user study that:
1. Many interesting patterns in StatLine are not spotted by
users
2. Many important topics in StatLine are scattered across
multiple tables
StatMine 0.2
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6. StatMine
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H1:
Data
analysis
=
Data
insight

7. H1. Data insight
Goal of StatMine 0.1 was to provide more
insight StatLine numbers by
• Presenting these facts visually and
interactively
• We tested this succesfully on 4 “difficult
StatLine tables.
StatMine 0.2
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8. StatMine 0.2
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Bar chart
- compare
Line chart
- development
Bubble/scatter chart
- correlation
Mosaic chart
- structure

9. an exploration
of
dissemination
data: StatMine
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Chart type – bar chart

10. StatMine 0.2
10
Small multiples?

11. StatMine 0.2
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12. Demo
an exploration of dissemination data: StatMine 12

13. StatMine 0.1 Results
Tested on 25 users:
Findings:
- Test persons think that visualizing data adds
value (small multiples)
- Data owners look at their data differently
- They want this tool to check their data before
publication.
StatMine 0.2
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14. StatMine
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Problem 2:
Fragmented Information

15. 2. Fragmented information
Most information in StatLine is fragmented:
‐ Energy consumption wrt economic growth
‐ Perceived public safety wrt registered crime
– Users currently need to look into multiple tables and
combine the information by hand. Gebruiker moet in
meerdere tabellen kijken en informatie zelf combineren
StatMine 0.2
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16. StatMine
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2. Merge data!

17. H2. Table joining
Goal StatMine 0.2: create more insight by:
- Letting users combine tables
- Condition: share at least one column/data
dimension.
- Tested on small set of tables.
StatMine 0.2
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18. StatMine 0.2 Results
Test persons: 20 internal, 40 external (policy
makers, journalists).
Findings:
- External users enthousiast about visual
possibilities StatMine
- Joining of data fills a user need.
StatMine 0.2
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19. StatMine
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Problem 3
Statistical numbers are
uncertain

20. H3. Confidence intervals
– Al facts Statistics Netherlands have confidence interval
– European Statistics Code of Practice (12.2):
‐ “sampling and non sampling errors should be
systematically documented”
Goal StatMine 0.3:
Investigate how uncertainty in numbers can be presented
understandable to users.
StatMine
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21. Restricted to:
‐ How do users interpret CI’s? And what does that affect
the interpretation of facts?
‐ Do users need CI’s?
Assumption:
‐ For test data set of point estimate with CI available
StatMine 0.3
StatMine 0.2
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22. User test (100+) with synthetic data shows that:
‐ CI’s improve validity of user statements (they are
more correct)
User test CI’s
StatMine 0.2
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23. StatMine 0.3
– Prototype StatMine 0.3:
‐ Show uncertainty in Line Charts
‐ Bar Charts
‐ Tested on 25 test persons.
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24. Line charts with uncertainty
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25. Bar charts with uncertainty
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26. StatMine 0.4
–Build on CBS open data API
–Will be public
–Currently in beta test, ETA (2014 Q3)
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27. Questions?
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