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FreshSpectrum Information Design
On a mission to make research and evaluation more accessible.
Web Exclusive - free-to-read digital edition
Compelling Qualitative Data Visualization
A practical guide to illustrating qualitative reports.
Written & Illustrated by Chris Lysy
Originally Published: February 4, 2026
Total Read Time: 41 minutes
Authors Note: This is a free-to-read full text digital version of my new book, Compelling Qualitative Data Visualization.
While it is a complete book, it is still going through copy edits. I decided to share it in its current state, as it is being developed and finalized.
One day this might have a print version, but for now it’s a web exclusive.
Why Qualitative Data Needs Pictures
Read Time: 4 minutes
Do you want to find the qualitative sections of a research or evaluation report? Here’s what you do, look for the sections without any pictures. This book is about changing that—about making qualitative work as visually compelling as it deserves to be.
An Illustration Framework
Read Time: 6 minutes
Not all illustrations do the same thing, and understanding what you want your visuals to accomplish is the first step to using them well. In this chapter, we’ll explore the four main goals of qualitative visualization: Organize, Spotlight, Engage, and Enhance.
Juggling Words and Illustrations
Read Time: 6 minutes
You’re not trying to visualize your text—you’re creating visuals to support your text, and that’s a very different thing. This chapter explores how images change meaning and how to create that “funny kind of juggling act” between words and pictures.
Picking Your Picture
Read Time: 6 minutes
Photographs, illustrations, and graphics each do different things well, and knowing when to use which type makes all the difference. This chapter breaks down the spectrum of visual options and helps you choose the right approach for your purpose.
Practical Techniques and Tools
Read Time: 8 minutes
Now let’s get concrete with specific, actionable techniques you can use to illustrate your qualitative work. From simple color blocks to participant-created drawings to charts designed for small sample sizes, this chapter gives you the how-to you need.
Putting it All Together
Read Time: 11 minutes
The real power comes from using visuals systematically—creating patterns and visual systems that make your entire report easier to navigate and more compelling to read. This chapter shows you how to design reports where every section works together and nothing gets skipped.
Want to use the comics?
Most of my work is illustrated with comics. Please feel free to use them in your presentations, lectures, articles, and classes. As long as it’s NonCommercial and you attribute them to freshspectrum.com.
Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC)
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