Explore Explain
Andy Kirk
Explore Explain is a long-form podcast and video series hosted by Andy Kirk and launched early 2020. It goes deep behind the scenes of data visualisation projects.
Each episode is structured around a conversation with visualisation designers, developers, or data journalists to explore the design story behind a single visualisation or a related major project. Guests explain the thought-process behind and share insights about the myriad little decisions that underpin the finished works they produce.
Audiences will gain an appreciation of the what, the why and the how, learning about the hidden problems and challenges, the breakthroughs and the eureka moments. You'll learn about the things that were done and the things that were not done, the pressures and frustrations as well as successes and failures.
Each season comprises nine episodes and always seeks to include guests representing a diverse cast of talented practitioners from across the field and around the world, showcasing a wide variety of different types of visualisation work.
Every episode is published as both an audio interview as well as an enhanced video conversation, enriched by detailed visuals that illuminate the discussions. Visit the Youtube channel to see all the recordings, including shorter highlight episodes.
To read more about each episode, and browse through the full archive of conversations, visit the Podcast page on Andy Kirk's Visualising Data website. Explore Explain is a Bethany Andrew production.
Each episode is structured around a conversation with visualisation designers, developers, or data journalists to explore the design story behind a single visualisation or a related major project. Guests explain the thought-process behind and share insights about the myriad little decisions that underpin the finished works they produce.
Audiences will gain an appreciation of the what, the why and the how, learning about the hidden problems and challenges, the breakthroughs and the eureka moments. You'll learn about the things that were done and the things that were not done, the pressures and frustrations as well as successes and failures.
Each season comprises nine episodes and always seeks to include guests representing a diverse cast of talented practitioners from across the field and around the world, showcasing a wide variety of different types of visualisation work.
Every episode is published as both an audio interview as well as an enhanced video conversation, enriched by detailed visuals that illuminate the discussions. Visit the Youtube channel to see all the recordings, including shorter highlight episodes.
To read more about each episode, and browse through the full archive of conversations, visit the Podcast page on Andy Kirk's Visualising Data website. Explore Explain is a Bethany Andrew production.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 25, 2020 • 1h 2min
S2E4 - Tom Worville
Welcome to episode 4 of season 2 of Explore Explain, a long-form video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Tom Worville, Football Analytics Writer for The Athletic (UK).
Tom shares the design story behind a data-driven article titled 'Lionel Messi's ten stages of greatness' (£), which was published in August 2020.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Tom's creative workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Nov 18, 2020 • 1h
S2E3 - Gurman Bhatia
Welcome to episode 3 of season 2 of Explore Explain, a long-form video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Gurman Bhatia, Graphics Journalist for Reuters, based in Singapore.
Gurman shares the design story behind her visualisation project 'The figures behind the faces' which was published in May 2019.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Gurman's creative workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Nov 9, 2020 • 1h 1min
S2E2 - RJ Andrews
Welcome to episode 2 of season 2 of Explore Explain, a long-form video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome RJ Andrews, US-based data storyteller, author and founder of 'Info We Trust'.
RJ shared the design story behind his visualisation project 'Neil and Buzz Go For a Walk', which was published in July 2019.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of RJ's creative workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Nov 2, 2020 • 1h 15min
S2E1 - Anna Wiederkehr
Welcome to episode 1 of season 2 of Explore Explain, a long-form video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Anna Wiederkehr, Senior Visual Journalist at FiveThirtyEight, based in the US.
Anna shared the design story behind FiveThirtyEight's flagship US Election Forecast visualisation.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Anna's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
** Despite my introduction saying this is season 1, it is definitely season 2! **
Jun 30, 2020 • 1h 1min
S1E9 - Sabine Devins & Sebastian Vollnhals
Welcome to episode 9 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Sabine Devins and Sebastian Vollnhals to share the design story behind a visualisation they worked on analysing password data, titled 'Heatscore'.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Sabine and Sebastian's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Jun 23, 2020 • 44min
S1E8 - Rachael Dottle
Welcome to episode 8 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Rachael Dottle to share the design story behind a visualisation she produced for FiveThirtyEight in July 2018, titled 'How France And Croatia Made It To The World Cup Final, In One Chart' .
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Rachael's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Jun 16, 2020 • 50min
S1E7 - Jan Willem Tulp
Welcome to episode 7 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Jan Willem Tulp to share the design story behind a visualisation he produced for the Dutch railway authority in 2020.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Jan Willem's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
Jun 9, 2020 • 1h 1min
S1E6 - Sonja Kuijpers
Welcome to episode 6 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Sonja Kuijpers to share the design story behind her award-winning visualisation 'A View on Despair', a very personal project which was published in 2019.
** Content warning: This episode discusses visualising data about suicide. If you need help, find help **
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Sonja's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
May 26, 2020 • 1h 9min
S1E5 - Simon Scarr
Welcome to episode 5 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Simon Scarr to share the design story behind his work on two Reuters visualisations about plastics: 'Drowning in plastic' and 'A plateful of plastic'.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Simon's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
May 19, 2020 • 51min
S1E4 - Nadieh Bremer
Welcome to episode 4 of season 1 of Explore Explain, a video and podcast series all about data visualisation design.
In this episode I am delighted to welcome Nadieh Bremer to share the design story behind her work on a client visualisation for a startup company called 'alis_'.
As well as listening to this show, you can watch the video of this conversation, illuminated by accompanying visual details of Nadieh's workflow. Head over to Youtube and visit the Explore Explain channel.
