Data visualization is "Anything that converts data sources into a visual representation."
Duke Universities Libraries Center for Data and Visualization Sciences.
Just as there are many ways to visualize data, there are many reasons to visualize. The list below highlights a few reasons for visualizing data.
Visualization helps us see patterns in the data.
Visualization helps communicate complex information.
Visualization helps us make comparisons in the data.
Three principles that guide designers when creating a visualization are:
See also: http://complexdiagrams.com/4pillars