Coaching Session 13 : Keys to Data Visualization

In this section you will learn:

1. Being able to make data more understandable with a simple visual is easy, but doing it effectively is much harder
2. How Visual Learning Works
3. Data Analysts need to know which type of visual to use with which type of data

DATA VISUALIZATION IT’S ART & SCIENCE

• Data visualization uses shapes, lines, and other figurative approaches to portray numbers
• Data visualization creates effective and meaningful visual representation of data that can be easily understood and interpreted by the audience
• There are multiple techniques that can be used to present data based on what kind of data is available.

DATA VISUALIZATION

Here are some data visualization best practices to keep in mind:

1. Understand your audience.
2. Choose the right visualization type
3. Simplify your visuals.
4. Use the right colors
5. Label your axes and data points 
6. Provide context
7. Use appropriate scales
8. Test your visualization

Your goal is to create data visualizations that are clear,informative, and visually appealing.

TABLEAU

is designed to help data analysts make sense of large amounts of data quickly and easily. It allows analysts to create interactive visualizations that can be easily shared with others in the organization, making it an effective tool for collaboration and communication.

With Tableau, analysts can easily spot trends, identify patterns, and uncover insights that might otherwise be difficult to see in raw data.

POWER BI

A powerful data visualization and analysis tool that can be used by analysts to gain insights from data by:

1. Connect to data sources
2. Create data models
3. Visualize data
4. Analyze data
5. Share Insights

Power BI allows data analysts to share their insights with others by publishing reports and dashboards to the web or to a SharePoint site. Users can access the reports and dashboards from anywhere.

CONVINCING DR. ZYLKER

VISUAL LEARNING

• A type of learning that is based on the use of visual aids, such as images, videos, diagrams, and graphs to understand and retain information
• It is a cognitive process that involves the visual interpretation and comprehension of information through the use of visual aids
• Approximately 65% of people are primarily visual learners, meaning that they learn best through visual aids such as images, videos, diagrams, and graphs

DATA VISUALIZATION

The key elements of data visualization are:

1. Data- This can be structured or unstructured data, and can include numerical, categorical, or text data
2. Visual representation- Examples include bar charts, line charts, scatter plots, and maps
3. Mapping- The mapping of values to the height of bars in a bar chart or the mapping of latitude and longitude to a map
4. Scale and axes
5. Labels and color
6. Interactivity – The ability to interact with the visualization, such as the ability to zoom, pan or hover over data points to see additional information

PIE CHARTS

• Used to show data with clear and distinct categories, such as market share
• Avoid cluttering the pie chart with too many labels or unnecessary information
• Choose colors that are easily distinguishable used consistently
• Label each category with the corresponding percentage or value.
• Include a title and a brief description of the data being presented to provide context
• Avoid 3D charts

BAR GRAPHS

• Used to compare data across different categories or groups.
• Keep it simple and be consistent
• Label each axis with a clear and concise description of each variable
• Make sure the scale of the chart is consistent throughout.
• Include a title and provide context
• Use techniques such as color, shading, or annotation to draw attention to important data points or trends

LINE CHARTS

• Are used to show trends over time or comparisons between different groups.
• Keep the colors simple and easy to see
• Label each axis with a clear and concise description of each variable
• Make sure the scale of the graph is consistent throughout
• Include a title and a provide context
• Use techniques such as highlighting or annotating specific data points to draw attention to important trends or patterns.

COLE KNAFLIC

Knaflic’s work can be particularly helpful to data analysts in several ways. For example:

1. Storytelling with data- How to structure a story around data, and how to use data visualizations to effectively communicate key insights
2. Data visualization and designing data visualization that are clear, simple and effective at communicating the key insights from the data
3. Effective communication by emphasizing the importance of effective communication in data analysis. She provides guidance on how to communicate effectively with stakeholders, and how to design data visualizations that are tailored to the needs and interest of specific audiences.

 

Portfolio

Email Subject: Data Analytics – Portfolio 13

1. Record a video to define when and when not to use a pie chart in your own words.
2. Record a video to define when and when not to use a line graph in your own words.
3. Record a video to define when and when not to use a bar chart in your own words.