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LeadAfrik
Mixed · Self-paced2026 Edition

Data Visualization & Storytelling

Charts that change minds. The grammar of graphics, the principles Tufte taught, and the dashboard discipline that Tableau, Power BI, and the FT graphics desk all share. Built for analysts whose work doesn't get read because the charts don't argue.

10

Modules

~7h 10m

Reading time

Mixed

Level

Self-paced

Format

§

Syllabus

  1. 01

    Why most analyst charts fail

    The single shift that separates publication-grade visualisation from spreadsheet defaults. Action titles, claim-first design, and the five-second test.

    ~35 minModule 01
    →
  2. 02

    The grammar of graphics

    Wilkinson's framework that powers ggplot2, Vega, and Observable Plot — and why understanding it makes you portable across tools.

    ~45 minModule 02
    →
  3. 03

    Picking the chart type from the claim

    Comparison, distribution, composition, correlation, change-over-time, ranking. The decision tree that ends spreadsheet-default chart choices.

    ~40 minModule 03
    →
  4. 04

    Tufte's principles, distilled

    Data-ink ratio, small multiples, sparklines, chartjunk. The rules from The Visual Display of Quantitative Information that still hold in 2026.

    ~40 minModule 04
    →
  5. 05

    Colour and typography for charts

    Sequential, diverging, qualitative palettes. Why most analyst rainbows are wrong. Type hierarchy on a chart, and the WSJ rules.

    ~35 minModule 05
    →
  6. 06

    Annotation — turning charts into arguments

    Inline labels, callouts, highlighted points. How an FT chart looks finished and a default Excel chart looks like a draft.

    ~30 minModule 06
    →
  7. 07

    Tableau essentials for analysts

    Connecting to data, the marks card, calculated fields, filters, parameters. Build a working analyst dashboard from scratch.

    ~60 minModule 07
    →
  8. 08

    Power BI essentials

    Power Query, DAX basics, the data model, visuals. The Microsoft-stack equivalent — what differs from Tableau and what doesn't.

    ~60 minModule 08
    →
  9. 09

    Dashboards that get used

    Why most dashboards die: too many charts, no clear question, no maintainer. The five-question dashboard discipline.

    ~40 minModule 09
    →
  10. 10

    Publication-grade graphics — FT, Economist, NYT

    Reverse-engineering the charts that move public opinion. The recipes you can copy: header, deck, source, annotation, palette, footer.

    ~45 minModule 10
    →

How to use this course

Start with module 01 if the material is new; skip ahead if you have prior exposure. Each module is self-contained but the arc is sequential — the projects in the final module assume the toolkit from modules 1-11. Every module ends with key takeaways and a curated further-reading list with primary sources.