What is Data Visualization?
Data visualization is "Anything that converts data sources into a visual representation." Duke Universities Libraries Center for Data and Visualization Sciences. Visualization helps us
- see patterns in the data
- communicate complex information
- make comparisons in the data
How to visualize the data?
When deciding what kind of visualization to use, consider these factors:
- What story are you telling with the data?
- if you're making a comparison, a bar chart is likely best. If you're showing trends over time, a line graph would be better.
- Who is your audience?
- What kinds of visuals will be familiar, accessible, and compelling for them? For instance, general audiences are usually familiar with pie and bar charts, but may not immediately know how to read a bubble chart or histogram.
- How do visual elements like size and color meaningfully and accurately convey the data?
- Avoid misleading representations of the data (for instance, cherry-picking time ranges to make a trend seem more significant)
- Use visual hierarchies to draw attention to important information and deemphasize less critical piece of information.
Types of Visualizations
Bar Chart Example
Choropleth Map
Stacked Line Chart
Pie Chart
Layne Porta
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