Let’s face it, data can sometimes be boring. I recently discovered a really cool way to visualize your data and make it more interesting. Let me ask you a simple question — which one of the examples below is the easiest to understand?

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We can all read the data in the 1st example, but the pie chart quickly puts the data into perspective for most of us.

Did you mouse-over the pie chart? This interactivity is made possible with gRaphaël, an open source javascript library with a goal to help you create stunning charts. We are basically using pure code to render scalable vector graphics (SVG) on the fly.

If you want to visualize some boring data for your next project, head over to gRaphael for more examples and to download the source code. Remember that a picture is worth a thousand words.

An ambiguous animation painted on public walls. The results are simply stunning! Bonus: viral video

Made in Buenos Aires and in Baden (fantoche)

Bryan Eisenberg has written about 69 Free (or low cost) Tools to Improve Your Website.  The article focuses on conversion so this isn’t simply a list of cool things you can do, there are some very useful suggestions for business owners as well.