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Ko te kai a te rangatira, he kōrero
The food of chiefs/leaders is speech/dialogue.
Data visualisation is the way we turn numbers into visuals (like charts, graphs, maps, and infographics) so people can understand information quickly. It helps us spot patterns, compare options, and tell a clear story with data.
You see data visualisation everywhere: weather apps, sports stats, social media “wrapped” summaries, news articles, school reports, fitness trackers, and even in advertising. Because visuals are so powerful, the choices you make (chart type, scale, colour, labels) can change what people notice, and what they believe. That’s why good data visualisation is about being clear, fair, and accurate, not just “making it look cool”.
Let's Create an Infographic!
Let's Create an Infographic!
We’re collecting class data to find patterns and share insights through an infographic. An infographic (information graphic) is a visual representation of data, information, or knowledge, combining images, charts, diagrams, and minimal text to present complex ideas quickly and clearly, making them easy to understand and share. They tell a story or explain processes by leveraging the brain's ability to process visuals faster than text, simplifying intricate subjects for wider audiences.
Task 1 - Set up a class survey
Task 1 - Set up a class survey
We have already created a google form that you can copy and use for your class otherwise you could create your own class or year group or school survey.
Key tips about survey questions:
keep it anonymous (no names), keep questions respectful, and only share what the class is comfortable sharing
If setting up your own or adapting the form
In Google Forms, create a new form
Give it an appropriate title eg Year 9 Data Visualisation Survey
Add a short description: Anonymous class survey for learning data visualisation.
Add 8–12 questions. The questions should be a mix of multiple choice or checkboxes as this gives you clear data versus short answer questions.
Make sure you turn on response validation where helpful (e.g., number ranges).
*** If you aren't able to collect your own data, you can always get some data from Stats NZ
Did you know:
27 September is the most common birthday
the 10 most common birthdays all appear in the 13-day period from 22 September to 4 October
the least common birthday is 25 December (apart from 29 February, which only occurs in leap years)
Source: Analysis of births, to mothers resident in New Zealand, data from 1980 to 2023 https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/most-common-birthday-in-new-zealand/
Tips for setting up your own survey
Tips for setting up your own survey
Make the data easy to analyse
Use closed questions (multiple choice, tick boxes, scales). They’re much easier to turn into charts than written answers.
Keep answer options consistent with the same style and no overlaps e.g. 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, 3+ is clearer and nicer versus having an overlap 1–2, 2–3.
Include an “Other (please specify)” option if you might miss something important but not always if you want specific responses
Avoid “select all that apply” unless you really need it, because it’s harder to chart and interpret clearly.
Make the question clear and unambiguous
Ask one thing at a time (no double questions)
Be specific about timeframes.
Define vague words if needed (e.g., “screen time” = phone + computer + console).
Keep it fair and inclusive
Make it anonymous (no names)
Avoid sensitive or personal questions (money, family situations, health, exact address). If it could make someone uncomfortable, leave it out.
Use respectful language and options that don’t force students into awkward choices (e.g., “Prefer not to say”).
Design good answer choices
Use balanced options (don’t push people towards one answer).
Keep the list short (about 4–8 options is usually enough).
Make options mutually exclusive where possible, each response should fit one option.
For rating scales, label the ends clearly (e.g., 1 = Not at all, 5 = A lot).
Improve quality with a quick test
Pilot it with 2–3 students first:
Do they understand every question?
Do any questions get lots of “Other” or weird answers?
Are any questions too personal or confusing?
Check your results as they come in, if responses look messy, fix the form early.
Aim for questions that create interesting comparisons
Including questions that let you compare groups or patterns can make for interesting data
Vary the types of questions e.g favourites, would you rather, hot take, ranges, ranking, a scale, a category question
Favourite questions are: quick and familiar
Questions could be about Favourite: colour / music style / movie genre / subject / way to spend a weekend
Would you rather…? questions: create clear comparisons and class debates.
Would you rather be invisible or read minds? Would you rather be stuck in a game or a movie? Would you rather no homework or school starts later?
Hot take or fun controversial opinion questions: create light “debate”
Pineapple on pizza: yes / no, Best chips flavour, Best season: summer/winter/autumn/spring
This-or-that (multiple choice) questions: A quick set of choices like a “mini personality test”
Netflix/YouTube/TikTok/Gaming. Beach/mountains/city/countryside. Sweet/savoury
Scale (rating) questions: shows intensity, not just choice.
How much do you enjoy school? 1–5. How confident are you with spreadsheets? 1–5. How often do you scroll without meaning to? 1–5
Range / bucket questions: perfect for sleep, screen time, money habits (without asking exact numbers).
Sleep on a school night: <6, 6–7, 7–8, 8–9, 9–10, 10+. Screen time: 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, 3–4, 4+.
Ranking questions are: great for top priorities and class comparisons.
Rank weekend activities. Rank most annoying tech problems. Rank best superpowers.
Task 2 - Collect the data
Task 2 - Collect the data
Once you have your survey set up then you need to share the link/QR code with the group of people and collect responses.
Task 3 - Get the data into Google Sheets
Task 3 - Get the data into Google Sheets
In Forms, go to Responses → Link to Sheets to create a spreadsheet.
Quick tidy/check:
Remove blank responses
Check spelling consistency (e.g., “Blue” vs “blue”)
Group similar answers if needed (e.g., “Football” and “Soccer” → decide whether to combine)
* note: if you took the time to write your questions and check the wanted response then the data shouldn't need cleaning up.
You may wish to create tabs with the data from each question so that it is easy for students to access.
Task 4 - Do some research and Explore the data
Task 4 - Do some research and Explore the data
Have a look at some infographics and how they represent data
Look at your survey data and choose 3 - 5 questions that will make interesting visuals
Watch the video on the right to work out what type of graphs are best to use for the data you are looking to use.
Think about how you could represent the data as not all questions need a chart. You will see that lots of infographics use icons / sybmols to make data interesting so have a look at the questions and find one you could represent with graphics.
Think about how you could theme your infographic and data
Does any of your data follow a NZ or Worldwide trend i.e. the most common birthday
The Poppy Field is an independent project – a reflection on human life lost in war.
Check out the website interactive here https://www.poppyfield.org/
Task 5 - Plan & Design the Infographic
Task 5 - Plan & Design the Infographic
Print the supplied template or just draw something similar by hand.
You need to:
Decide the infographic focus
Include what data you are going to use and how you will display it
Make sure you meet the requirements
Sketch your layout and design
Do a “design choice check” for your chosen questions:
How could you represent the question? Is this the only way?
What labels are you going to use - they need to be clear and readable
Is the scale fair, making sure we don't exaggerate differences?
What colours easy to tell apart (and still readable for colour-vision differences)?
Overall does it look cohesive
Task 6 - Build the Infographic using Canva
Task 6 - Build the Infographic using Canva
Check out this infographic tutorial by Canva.
For the infographics we are making, choose a template that is portrait and focused on showing data (rather than a timeline style). This is a good place to start. Look for one that you like the layout of as it is easy to change colours and graphics.
Now get creating.
Head back to your plan and design, remember it doesn't have to look exactly like your design but should be similar.
Make sure you have the key aspects and check them off your planning checklist.
Task 7 - Export Your Infographic
Task 7 - Export Your Infographic
Download as PNG (for sharing) or PDF (for printing)
Task 8 - Submit your Infographic and Reflection
Task 8 - Submit your Infographic and Reflection
Do a quick peer review: “What’s the main message the viewer gets in 10 seconds?”
Write a short paragraph (or bullets):
“I chose a ___ chart because…”
“I used ___ colours/labels because…”
“If I changed ___, it might make the data look more/less dramatic because…”
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