As they say, a good chart is worth a thousand spreadsheets. So we wanted to add our 2 cents on how to get started in the whole data visualization world.
Start simple: Begin your journey with the basics. Use bar charts for comparing quantities. Line charts for showing trends over time. And pie charts for slicing proportions.
Understand your data types and relationships. It's crucial to understand the characters in your stories. Quantitative or qualitative data will influence the choice of visualization. Whenever we think of visualizing correlations in numerical data, scatter plots are great. But then if we want to show the value of an element in a whole, stacked bar charts do the job.
Choose the right chart for your story: The key is to match the chart type with the narrative you wish to convey. Line charts narrate progressions over time. While histograms and box plots unveil the distribution of data.
The color palette: Use colors with intention, as they set the mood of your visualization. It can be on brand for your team, but they should underscore the key elements of your story. Help visualize differentiation between data categories, and ensure accessibility for all viewers.
The Art of Refinement: Like any masterpiece, your visualization requires revision. This iterative process ensures clarity and effectiveness in conveying the intended message. This is an iterative process. Fueled by feedback, polish your work until it achieves clarity and impact.
Contextualization and clarity: Always provide context to your data. Annotations, clear titles, and succinct labels can be the step from good to great. Make your charts by making them self-explanatory.
Now let's transform some complex data sets into insightful visual stories.