Data is an integral aspect of every organization across all industries. However, presenting data is a crucial exercise that requires a lot of creativity to ensure that every team member can grasp the meaning of the content. Many people get confused about how to find valuable insights from a large volume of data in a spreadsheet. That’s where data visualization comes into play.
Data visualization is a crucial element when you intend to present vast quantities of data to a specific audience. Converting numbers, percentages, statistics, and other “boring” data values into a visual format plays a fundamental role in ensuring that everybody can easily process and understand the content.
Read on for five ways to use data visualization within your organization.
1. Sankey Diagram
According to a report published in 2021, a Sankey diagram is mainly utilized to visualize quantitative flows and their proportions to one another. Note that the thickness of the lines primarily depends on the total amount and magnitude of the flow. The lines are visualized in the form of arrows and lines that travels across the diagram.
This diagram is mostly used when analyzing Google Analytics data and generating insights from the customer interactions across the site. A Sankey diagram visualizes the path taken by money or energy. The diagram can be formatted as a comprehensive diagram or a collection of smaller diagrams describing the same data elements.
Like other types of information visualization, a Sankey diagram can be confusing if you have multiple data sets that you need to present to your audience. It would be best if you considered picking out some of the most crucial data elements that your target audience needs to comprehend to avoid confusion during data presentation.
2. Choropleth Map
A choropleth map refers to the visualization of geographic information and data concerning different regions outlined in a map. The areas outlined in a choropleth represent anything you want to present to your audience, such as cities, counties, or neighborhoods. The map comes with different progressive colors that vary from one another.
When you want to visualize geographic data, it is vital to consider using a choropleth map, since it offers numerous features that make it easier to present the data. Instead of recording the population in numbers per region, you can analyze the density of the population per square kilometer or present every region as a whole.
In addition, a choropleth map works well when you have a single kind of value that you want to be applied across all your intended regions. You need to be mindful of the type of values you intend to present to ensure that you generate an intriguing output that you can use in decision-making.
3. Interactive Decision Tree
Having a website with a bunch of poorly organized information tends to be overwhelming at some point. An interactive decision tree enables readers to make decisions depending on what they have read from your content. In simple terms, an interactive decision tree is a flow chart, although it is a bit different from its close counterpart.
What makes the decision tree unique is its interactive and intuitive nature, which is vital in presenting data to the public. The use of a decision tree makes it easier for readers to navigate through data elements and make decisions depending on the presented data elements. However, the data needs to be indexed with keywords and descriptions to work correctly.
Consider the data visualization of a complex laboratory experiment that needs technical skills to read and understand. This information can be indexed to make it easier for readers and learners to navigate and comprehend the intended message. With a decision tree, you do not need to possess any technical skills to read and analyze data.
4. 3D Scatter Plot
A scatter plot is a standard data visualization tool that efficiently showcases correlated data values. The data values are presented on the x and y-axes, making it easier to identify related data values with a tremendous quantity of data values. However, a 3D scatter plot goes an extra mile adding the z-axis and presenting more data values.
Once you have created a 3D scatter plot, you will realize that some points have colors; this means that another data value can be added to the data. This mode of data visualization incorporates a slot of interactivity to enable users to read the data values from different perspectives.
The 3D scatter plot works well when you have vast data sets that you need to present to your market audience. Keep in mind that the data that needs to be used for a 3D scatter plot needs to be correlated to enable you to get accurate results. Ensure that the data has about two or three correlated values to be in a position to use a 3D scatter plot.
5. Visual Annual Report
If your organization has a solid creative team, you may have heard about the visual annual report. Many organizations are still using spreadsheets to generate long and tedious reports, which make it challenging for team members to comprehend the outlined data elements. It is high time that organizations adopted a new mode of data visualization.
The visual annual report gives you the power to generate compelling reports using different creative elements to visualize data and amaze customers. This methodology comes with varying formats and designs to generate compelling visuals that readers can easily understand without any challenge.
You don’t need to have hands in the technical field to generate an annual visual report; you need only to choose a simple template that suits your needs and customize it depending on what you want. Using a visual annual report enhances transparency within a company and gives a clear picture of the progress of the organization.
Final Verdict
Companies must invest in data visualization to enhance their performance in business. This article has outlined some of the best choices that you can use to visualize data and get better feedback from your market audience.