Today we’re launching the MinnPost Data & Maps page, where you can view the best of our work in mapping and data visualization. All of the tools we use are open source. What does that mean? Put simply, it means there are no trade secrets here. Anything we can do you can do too — and for free.

Thanks to open source tools like Google Fusion Tables, ProPublica’s TableSetter and TimelineSetter, and a JavaScript toolkit called InfoVis, we’ve been able map the growth of poverty in the suburbs, post searchable tables of campaign contributions, illuminate the lesser-known milestones of Michele Bachmann’s life and career in politics, evaluate the work of first-term legislators and give you the opportunity to fix Minnesota’s deficit.

We are constantly experimenting with new ways to present data and tell stories. Your feedback is essential at every step. If you haven’t tried one or more of these tools, have at it now! And tell us about the experience. What can we do differently? What can we do better? What data would you like to see us wrangle into a map or an app? As always, we look forward to the conversation.