Constructing and Evaluating Your Design Solution - Data Visualization: A Successful Design Process - page 172

Also think about the general design considerations we outlined about creating
accessibility through intuitive design, as well as the idea of reward versus effort,
and see how these qualities are achieved.
Eventually, with enough practice, you will develop your critical eye and will
become much faster, more informed, and fairer in your judgments of other peoples'
work. This will be a great way to educate your own design techniques and refine
your own style.
Publishing and sharing your output
One of the contemporary ways of developing your capabilities is to publish
yourself. A platform such as a blog will create an ideal means of sharing your work
and your ideas.
Posting your design work and building up a public portfolio of your projects creates
a virtual shop window. You can take advantage of this format and share narratives
about your design process, explaining to people how and why you arrived at the
various solutions.
Writing articles, publishing critiques of work, and facilitating discussions are
also great ways of promoting yourself. It helps you to learn about the subject. As
you write about a topic, you are forced into developing a conviction, to structure
arguments, and learn about different perspectives. It really does sharpen your views
remarkably, even if (initially, at least) the only visitors to your site are your devoted
parents, out of duty.
Eventually, through hard work and dedication, you will create an interested
audience and this opens up wonderful opportunities for developing connections
with other practitioners, creating rich networks around the world, across
demographics, and beyond your subject field.
If you don't have the energy, time, or enthusiasm for a commitment such as a blog,
then there are plenty of online galleries and communities through which you can
share and publicize your work.
Immerse yourself into learning about the field
Over the past few years we have seen a relative explosion in the amount of online
content covering the subject of data visualization, infographics, and data-driven
journalism. Websites, blogs, designer sites, and online galleries are now bursting at
the seams with interesting articles, new tools, latest projects, and endless amount of
inspiration. Social media too is a wonderful platform to learn about key opinions and
contemporary developments. The visualization field is particularly active on Twitter
where you will find a very spirited and positive community.