Today with the advancement of technology, we have access to a significant amount of data. And eventually, this data has been growing increasingly complex every year. The real problem starts when we fail to manage this considerable data resource and cannot use them in the right way. Hence, to solve this problem faced by companies today, industry experts have developed the idea of data visualization. Presenting data in pictorial forms (charts or graphs) has become fundamentally important for all of us. But the work is tricky and we need data visualization best practices for effective data management.
What is Data Visualization
With the growing importance of visual communication, data visualization has captured every heart. This type of visual communication allows us to create, study and share data in a graphical manner so that the viewer can understand complex information according to its relevance and priority. Data graphic enables us to represent numbers by charts and various images for impactful information dissemination.
Why Data Visualization is Important
The human brain processes information quickly when it is presented using charts or graphs. So, in this fast moving age, it has become imperative to show complex data and report through graphs and charts. Through innovative data visualization, a company can convey concepts quickly and easily. So, every marketer today is turning into creating data visualization infographics and the like. Of all marketing and communication tools, data visualization is one of the proven tools to bridge the communication gap between the business and its audience.
Take a look at some of the benefits of data visualization.
- Helps you identify areas that need attention or improvement
- Enables you to clarify factors influencing customer behavior
- Allows you to understand where to place which products
- Allows you to predict sales volumes
We have listed a few data visualization best practices for you here. Following the data visualization best practices 2018 you will be able to pull off an enormous amount of data into a finite space and communicate accurately with your audience.
Mentioned below are 5 Data Visualization best practices and principles every designer should know:
1. Use Prominent Visuals To Direct Audience Attention
Data visualization can be impactful only if you give justified prominence to the visual elements. As data visualization is about different types of charts and graphs, it’s really tricky to identify which types are best for presenting the visualizing data. Hence considering visual salience is essential. According to data visualization principles, if you make a visual element stand out against its surroundings, viewers would understand the importance of the message conveyed. Highlight essential details with visible variables like color and size. Focus on color schemes and use colors to appeal to the viewer’s eyes.
2. Emphasize on Designing for Mobile
Mobile-first indexing is one of the vital factors today if you want to stay ahead of your competitors. Google has rolled out this feature which means your site should be mobile-friendly. Hence plan to incorporate charts and graphs to leverage compelling mobile viewing.
We have collected a few mobile design tips for you. Take a look below.
- Contrast Plays a Crucial Role in Your Design
Create graphs and charts with contrasting colors for the background. This way you can present you viewers with detailed information.
- Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for Images to Look Great
Cascading style sheets help you to create images that are visually appealing whether in a desktop or mobile device. CSS is a proven app that allows you to customize how things look for each device without having to change the underlying HTML code.
- Considering Optimizing Images from the Beginning
Optimizing images is a tricky job so, relying only on CSS to resize large photos would not suffice. You need to focus on optimizing for speed even before uploading your pictures.
- Ensure Mobile Chart Designs are from Top Left To Bottom Right
In a mobile chart design, the most critical information should be on the top left. Along with it, there should be appropriate color coding.
3. Balance Complex Design Elements To Render Clarity
The human eye processes visual attributes that are easily decipherable. According to the Gestalt principles, we can recognize those messages quickly that are prominent in our perception. The perception becomes prominent when we include visual properties like – color, form, movement (which provides for continuity), spatial positioning etc. However, the primary purpose of Gestalt principles is to create an orderly image so that humans can gain meaningful perceptions amidst disorders. Hence, while creating the data visualization, you need to balance all these elements in the right way. Needless to say, visual properties would make your presentation magnetic. The goal is to arrange the visual elements like shape, color, negative space and texture equally throughout the design. Experts suggest several ways how you can create balance in the visual elements to render clarity of the information conferred.
Following are the two different types of balance all the design elements-
- Symmetrical: Create visuals incorporating all design elements equally on all sides.
- Asymmetrical: Make a visual presentation where both sides are different, yet the picture have a visual weight.
4. Use Effective Tools To Arrange a Huge Set of Analyzable Data
Data visualization consists of varied and complex information and features charts, graphs, infographics, videos and also modern elements like virtual reality and augmented reality. Undeniably managing this data are more than challenging. Hence you need specific tools to bring all these data together and present in a meaningful way to your clients. Take a look at some of the most preferred data visualization tools which are available as free as well as in paid versions-
Tableau
Tableau is one of the renowned software that handles typical significant data operations efficiently. Tableau boasts of having advanced database solutions to deal with artificial intelligence and machine-learning applications. Industry experts consider Tableau a proven and useful tool to produce visuals and graphics providing a new edge to the data visualization.
Highcharts
Highcharts is another essential tool that can assist you in creating the best data visualization. It is preferred by many because it offers quick and flexible solutions. The tool has unique features and that is the reason why users find it useful than that of its competitors. The tool offers cross-browser support, according to this feature; anyone can access and run this visualization.
Plotly
Building Data Visualization involves a lot of effort. But when there’s a tool like Plotly, your task becomes easier. It is a tool that enables you to produce more polished and complicated visualizations. Using Plotly, you can generate more polished and intricate visualizations. The tool integrates Python, R, Matlab and other similar analytics-related programming languages.
Domo Review
Domo is a great tool to connect the widest data set and deliver a unique social collaboration. Domo is a business management tool that integrates with multiple data sources, including social media, spreadsheets, databases etc.
5. Keep Data Arranged and Consistent
While compiling and presenting a big set of data, it’s necessary that you maintain consistency. A coherent design makes it easily decipherable. It’s ideal to create a hierarchy of data relevantly showing the various data points. Data visualization analysis reports that if you arrange data from highest to lowest order and emphasize the largest values. You can easily display a category that is more important to users in a prominent way.
Your Turn
Data visualization is about communicating a data set clearly to the target audience with the help of graphics. People nowadays understand complicated information when they are presented through visual presentations. Hence to present the best visualizations and easily comprehendible data follow the above principles and best practices. Needless to say, you would be able to represent complex information in a simplified way to make it genuinely useful to your audience.
Infographic Design Team helps you to create one of the best data visualizations for your target audience. We have talented graphic designers who assist you in the presenting the right data and deliver to you an excellent piece of work that your target client cannot avoid noticing and getting allured to.
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