Tyson Anderson

DATA JOURNALIST

Recent work

Most of my work consists of interactive graphics that accompany special projects in the online version of the newspaper. While some of the graphics I do have also been included in print, most of my work is displayed online-only. Here you will also find that almost all of these graphics were done using Flash due to it's cross-browser compatibility and ease of development. Because HTML5/JavaScript is rapidly becoming the most friendly format to use for all platforms (including mobile), most of my projects in the future will be flash free.

Power Bill Dissected An explanation of complex rate hikes proposed by NV Energy. We felt the hikes were done in a complex way to try and hide the fact that NV Energy would be receiving a larger ratio of the money collected under the proposed hikes. The graphic emulates a power bill exactly as a customer would receive it in the mail and adds visual and textual information to explain the rates.

Power Bill Dissected

An explanation of complex rate hikes proposed by NV Energy. We felt the hikes were done in a complex way to try and hide the fact that NV Energy would be receiving a larger ratio of the money collected under the proposed hikes. The graphic emulates a power bill exactly as a customer would receive it in the mail and adds visual and textual information to explain the rates.

  • illustrator,
    • The Human Cost Do No Harm I worked with photographer Leila Navidi to build a special interface to display both her beautiful portraits and telling interviews she did with victims of preventable harm. In the spirit of tying everything into the rest of the graphics we sorted each person into what type of harm occurred. I tried to keep this very subtle as to not detract from the main purpose of the interactive, displaying the photos.

    The Human Cost

    Do No Harm

    I worked with photographer Leila Navidi to build a special interface to display both her beautiful portraits and telling interviews she did with victims of preventable harm. In the spirit of tying everything into the rest of the graphics we sorted each person into what type of harm occurred. I tried to keep this very subtle as to not detract from the main purpose of the interactive, displaying the photos.

  • illustrator,
  • python,
    • Complaints Interactive Do No Harm Using a similar style as in the first graphic in this series, this graphic takes complaints filed against Las Vegas area hospitals and represents each as a box that can then be sorted by category or location. All the documents containing the complaints were loaded into Document Cloud. Using the API provided to the Document Cloud data, the complaint associated with each box appears beneath the graphic when it is clicked on. The graphic becomes a slick way to sort through and navigate a large amount of documents.

    Complaints Interactive

    Do No Harm

    Using a similar style as in the first graphic in this series, this graphic takes complaints filed against Las Vegas area hospitals and represents each as a box that can then be sorted by category or location. All the documents containing the complaints were loaded into Document Cloud. Using the API provided to the Document Cloud data, the complaint associated with each box appears beneath the graphic when it is clicked on. The graphic becomes a slick way to sort through and navigate a large amount of documents.

  • javascript,
  • python,
  • illustrator,
  • documentcloud,
    • Surgical Injuries in Las Vegas Hospitals Do No Harm This graphic was used to compare each hospital’s expected rate of surgical injuries to their observed rates and also to compare the hospitals to each other. It is mainly a print graphic adapted to the web because it has a very horizontal aspect ratio.

    Surgical Injuries in Las Vegas Hospitals

    Do No Harm

    This graphic was used to compare each hospital’s expected rate of surgical injuries to their observed rates and also to compare the hospitals to each other. It is mainly a print graphic adapted to the web because it has a very horizontal aspect ratio.

  • flash,
    • MRSA and C. Diff in Las Vegas Hospitals Do No Harm Incidents of the lethal, drug-resistant bacterias C.diff and MRSA have increased dramatically in recent years. This graphic shows how much these incidences have increased and their locations. A map was used to show the locations of each hospital and then a circle was used to show how many incidences occurred there that year. The data is navigated by a timeline view. A horizontal bar chart view is also provided to allow the user to just look at the rates by hospital.

    MRSA and C. Diff in Las Vegas Hospitals

    Do No Harm

    Incidents of the lethal, drug-resistant bacterias C.diff and MRSA have increased dramatically in recent years. This graphic shows how much these incidences have increased and their locations. A map was used to show the locations of each hospital and then a circle was used to show how many incidences occurred there that year. The data is navigated by a timeline view. A horizontal bar chart view is also provided to allow the user to just look at the rates by hospital.

  • illustrator,
  • python,
  • r,
  • googlemapsapi,
    • Preventable Injuries interactive Do No Harm The first of our Do No Harm series on preventable injuries in Las Vegas Hospitals. The graphic takes each incident of preventable harm and represents it as a box that can be sorted and re-colored by the user to gain insight on the frequency of incidents happening and where they occur.

    Preventable Injuries interactive

    Do No Harm

    The first of our Do No Harm series on preventable injuries in Las Vegas Hospitals. The graphic takes each incident of preventable harm and represents it as a box that can be sorted and re-colored by the user to gain insight on the frequency of incidents happening and where they occur.

  • python,
  • r,
  • illustrator,
    • RTC Premium Service Map New bus lines were constructed by RTC, the mass transit service that serves the Las Vegas area. Each route was built with GIS software and then exported for use with the Google Maps API for display.

    RTC Premium Service Map

    New bus lines were constructed by RTC, the mass transit service that serves the Las Vegas area. Each route was built with GIS software and then exported for use with the Google Maps API for display.

  • googlemapsapi,
  • illustrator,
  • googleearth,
    • The Logic of Loss - Slot Machine Graphic If you google “slot machine” chances are that you will find many of them out there online. The goal of this slot machine was not just to give the user a game to play but more so to teach them how it’s working. I worked with a guy who does all the math behind slot machines to build one that would work exactly like one you would find on the casino floor. Then I added the fun stuff: a line graph to track your credits to spins, a visualization of how each wheel is weighted and a tool that lets you find the odds for each possible combo. I also added textual information that changes throughout the game play. The graphic has been featured on FlowingData.com and helped us win a duPont award.

    The Logic of Loss - Slot Machine Graphic

    If you google “slot machine” chances are that you will find many of them out there online. The goal of this slot machine was not just to give the user a game to play but more so to teach them how it’s working. I worked with a guy who does all the math behind slot machines to build one that would work exactly like one you would find on the casino floor. Then I added the fun stuff: a line graph to track your credits to spins, a visualization of how each wheel is weighted and a tool that lets you find the odds for each possible combo. I also added textual information that changes throughout the game play. The graphic has been featured on FlowingData.com and helped us win a duPont award.

  • illustrator,
  • python,
  • photoshop,
  • audacity,
    • Nevada Renewable Energy Map With a push for more renewable energy sources in Nevada there are many projects that are already completed and many more in planning or construction phases. This map compiles them up into one place so the reader can get an idea of the scale, phase and location of each project. An image from NASA’s “Blue Marble” was used as the main map and close up satellite views of each project are shown using the Google Maps API. Polygons depicting land with agreements to develop are also integrated into the map and can be turned on and off.

    Nevada Renewable Energy Map

    With a push for more renewable energy sources in Nevada there are many projects that are already completed and many more in planning or construction phases. This map compiles them up into one place so the reader can get an idea of the scale, phase and location of each project. An image from NASA’s “Blue Marble” was used as the main map and close up satellite views of each project are shown using the Google Maps API. Polygons depicting land with agreements to develop are also integrated into the map and can be turned on and off.

  • illustrator,
  • googlemapsapi,
  • python,
    • Pizza Map Built to go along with the pizza issue of the Las Vegas Weekly, this map shows the route our restaurant reviewers took as they hit the streets of Vegas in search of the best pizza. Most of my time on this project was spent isolating each of the paths from the scanned in flat file I received from the artist. It took a lot of clone stamping in Photoshop to make it happen.

    Pizza Map

    Built to go along with the pizza issue of the Las Vegas Weekly, this map shows the route our restaurant reviewers took as they hit the streets of Vegas in search of the best pizza. Most of my time on this project was spent isolating each of the paths from the scanned in flat file I received from the artist. It took a lot of clone stamping in Photoshop to make it happen.

  • javascript,
  • photoshop,