How You Can Make Data Visualization Work for You

In Montclair State University’s Master of Science in Business Analytics program, you will learn how data can be used to solve problems, improve customer retention, and help businesses stay a step ahead of their competitors. Of course, data has to be collected, interpreted, and shared for it to be a helpful tool. An essential part of this process is learning how data visualization can help your findings reach your colleagues or client.

If you’ve got the data down but don’t know how to present it, don’t worry. 

We’ll run through the basics first. Then we’ll get into some tips. 

What is Data Visualization?

Simply put, data visualization is the way you present the information that you’ve gathered from your data. Typically, this means using a graph or chart to make your information easy for other people to understand. Good data visualization is a combination of determining the most important data and the best way to format it for your audience. 

Visuals are important because, as IBM notes, the “visual representation of data makes it easier to identify and share real-time trends, outliers, and new insights about the information represented in the data.” Graphs and charts can be quickly understood, making them ideal for including large amounts of data in presentations and meetings. Processing data into a concise visual makes it accessible for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the area being analyzed. 

Now, let’s talk about some data visualization tips.

Selecting the Right Visuals for Your Findings

The most important part of data visualization is, of course, the visuals. 

How do you know which configuration is right for your data and audience? Toptal breaks down the most common formats for data visualization and what kinds of data they suit best. 

Line graphs are best for showcasing changes over a period of time. Pie charts aren’t ideal for showing time, but they are great for displaying percentages of a whole. Scatter plots incorporate two sets of data that are related. Bar charts categorize information that falls into different categories so that they can be seen side by side. If your data is geographic, you can use a color-coded map.

The best way to decide what works for your current data set is to research examples of data-driven images then try out a few configurations. As you become more experienced, it will become easier to look at data and know the best way to display it.