Data Visualization — Best Practices And Foundations (2024)

Data Visualization — Best Practices and Foundations“Clutter and confusion are not attributes of data — they are shortcomings of design.” — Edward TufteWhat is Data VisualizationMichael Friendly defines data visualization “as information which has been abstracted in some schematic form, including attributes or variables for the units of information.” In other words, it is a coherent way to visually communicate quantitative content. Depending on its attributes, the data may be represented in many different ways, such as a line graph, bar chart, pie chart, scatter plot, or map.Determining the best way to present a data set, and adhering to data visualization best practices, is important for graphic designers when creating these visuals.

Especially when working with very large data sets, developing a cohesive format is vital to creating visualizations that are both useful and visually appealing.Wall Street Journal data visualization of US unemployment figures. (by WSJ)Why Use Data VisualizationAccording to IBM, 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are created every day. The Research Scientist Andrew McAfee and Professor Erik Brynjolfsson of MIT point out that “more data cross the internet every second than were stored in the entire internet just 20 years ago.

”As the world becomes more and more connected with an increasing number of electronic devices, the volume of data will continue to grow exponentially. IDC predicts there will be 163 zettabytes (163 trillion gigabytes) of data by 2025.All of this data is hard for the human brain to comprehend — in fact, it’s difficult for the human brain to comprehend numbers larger than five without drawing some kind of analogy or abstraction. Data visualization designers can play a vital role in creating those abstractions.After all, big data is useless if it can’t be comprehended and consumed in a useful way.

That’s why data visualization plays an important role in everything from economics to science and technology, to healthcare and human services. By turning complex numbers and other pieces of information into graphs, content becomes easier to understand and use.Hire the World’s Best Designers at ToptalNo Risk Trial, Pay Only If SatisfiedWhen to Use itSince large numbers are so difficult to comprehend in any meaningful way, and many of the most useful data sets contain huge amounts of valuable data, data visualization has become a vital resource for decision-makers. To take advantage of all this data, many businesses see the value of data visualizations in the clear and efficient comprehension of important information, enabling decision-makers to understand difficult concepts, identify new patterns, and get data-driven insights in order to make better decisions.It is worth spending resources on data visualization any time understanding large data sets is necessary for making an informed decision — whether it be in business, technology, science, or another field.

Clear visualizations make complex data easier to grasp, and therefore easier to take action on.PrinciplesData visualization should answer vital strategic questions, provide real value, and help solve real problems. It can be used to track performance, monitor customer behavior, and measure effectiveness of processes, for instance. Taking time at the outset of a data visualization project to clearly define the purpose and priorities will make the end result more useful and prevent wasting time creating visuals that are unnecessary.Know the AudienceA data visualization is useless if not designed to communicate clearly with the target audience.

It should be compatible with the audience’s expertise and allow viewers to view and process data easily and quickly. Take into account how familiar the audience is with the basic principles being presented by the data, as well as whether they’re likely to have a background in STEM fields, where charts and graphs are more likely to be viewed on a regular basis.Hire the World’s Best Designers at ToptalNo Risk Trial, Pay Only If SatisfiedUse Visual Features to Show the Data ProperlyThere are so many different types of charts. Deciding what type is best for visualizing the data being presented is an art unto itself. The right chart will not only make the data easier to understand, but also present it in the most accurate light.

To make the right choice, consider what type of data you need to convey, and to whom it is being conveyed.Written by Mayra Magalhaes Gomes. Read more at www.toptal.com >>•••.