Claire Miller's presentation at news:rewired. She discussed census data, with tips on preparing for big data releases.

1. Dealing with data – the census

2. Know what’s coming
The ONS publication hub - a good
starting point for finding data to
use

3. The Census
• Snapshot of what England and Wales looked like on
census day 2011
• Estimated 94% of people covered
• Starts to become out of date immediately but most
detailed information there is
• Used by public services to make plans
• Data released gradually – getting more geographically
detailed

4. The Census
• First country
level population
• Then key
statistics for
local
authorities
• January 30 –
output area level
– 200 people or
125 homes
More detailed = better potential for stories

5. Preparation is key…
To make maps – need shapefiles
It takes time to track them down and to get them into
Google Fusion Tables – use shpescape.com

6. …because things go wrong
• Shapefile tables
with missing
items
• Maps not loading
on pages
Easier to iron out
problems like this
in advance then
when trying to
analyse/write
about data

7. Know what story you’re looking for
Roughly…never quite know what you’re going to get
• Look at previous releases
in the same series
• Look at the higher level
details
• Make educated guesses –
Welsh newspaper
therefore the number
and location of Welsh
speakers is an obvious
place to start

8. Once you have the data
Things that might make a
story:
• The biggest, the highest,
the most
• The smallest, the fewest
• Fastest growing
• Location
• Successes
• Failures
• Why?

9. Make it interesting
Make it
personal –
people being
able to browse
their own area
Talk to people
who actually
live in the areas
you are talking
about

10. Make it interesting
Make it
personal –
people being
able to browse
their own area
Talk to people
who actually
live in the areas
you are talking
about