Over a cup of coffee
Learning another language can be daunting for some, learning two or three can feel even more difficult. This is exactly what Brent Jones suggested when I sat down to speak with him about data/visual journalism over a hot cup of coffee.
The languages he suggests learning are coding languages. HTML, CSS, Command Line, Javascript, and Python or Ruby. Each of these plays a special part when coding and working in visual journalism. In addition to the main language, there are also subsets of each language such as d3.js, a Javascript library for maniplulating documents.
Brent began his path at Indiana University as a newspaper page designer. He then attended Southern Illinois University- Carbondale and decided to major in journalism. Brent loved the production and soon interned at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch as a page designer.
After working at the Post, Brent became the web guru for the St. Louis Beacon. There, he worked with the front-end of the website and that gave him a good basis to work on graphics.
“It was a natural progression to data analysis,” said Brent.
After the Beacon merged with the St. Louis Public Radio, Brent was able to work more on data.
The ever-changing job
Data journalists have a different job every day, according to Brent. It is one of the reasons he enjoys his job because he works with a variety of reporters and all types of stories.
At the Public Radio, Brent uses a few tools, mainly centered around efficiency: a computer with complete access, a strong text editor, and coding programs such as CSV Kit and QGIS.
Because he is aware of various coding languages, Brent has more freedom to design than if he just used “off the shelf” programs. The Public Radio has in-house apps they use frequently. There are also resources such as Github that offer options for analyzing and visualizing data.
With his job, Brent has the ability to work both at the office and also at home. To keep everything organized and manage his tasks efficiently, Brent uses Evernote, Omnifocus, or Pin Board depending on the task.
He also suggests keeping a list of everything to be done while writing everything down. He finds keeping folders of resources and references helpful. He also keeps one list specifically for “stalled” projects in which he is waiting for others to return information. He tries to review these lists at least once a week to make sure each task is on time. This system works for him as he worries less about forgetting something.
Because the field of data journalism is so broad and diverse, Brent suggests following blogs and news. This keeps him motivated and helps him keep on top of what he needs to be learning. He also finds it helpful to reach out to others in his field.
According to Brent, it is hard to know the amount of time and work that went into a project, but you can research the number of people and length of time the project took to complete. He often will reach out to the creator and compliment the data visualization or ask questions about their process.
“It is not the easiest job, but most everyone is fairly friendly,” said Brent.
He believes that most in the field want to help others get involved and offer tips and tools.
Brent also suggests attending conferences and always learning on your own. He also believes that you should be willing to do whatever is asked of you. Even if you do not know how to complete a task, it is important to “know how to learn.”
“Data journalism is constantly changing,” according to Brent. “You make a commitment to telling the truth.”
