What is Data Visualization?
When we talk about data visualization, it usually refers to the transformation of figures and raw data into visual objects, bars, line plots, or key points. Data visualization is considered to be one of the important steps of the data science process. It states that the data must be visualized for making conclusions once it has been collected, processed, and modeled. In data visualization, we combine user-friendly features and aesthetically pleasing features to make such visualizations that can make research and data analysis more effective and powerful.
Goal of Data Visualization:
The main goal of data visualization is to make things easier to identify patterns, trends, and outliers in different types of large data sets. The term data visualization is often used interchangeably with information graphics, statistical graphics, and information visualization.
Similarly, data visualization is also considered to be an element of the broader data presentation and architecture (DPA) discipline. And it aims to identify, locate, manipulate, format, and deliver data in the most effective and efficient possible manner.
Importance of Data Visualization:
To put into simpler words, data visualization has found out to be very important for almost very career.
- It can be used easily by millions of teachers for displaying student test or exam results.
- It can be used by computer scientists for exploring different advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
- Similarly, it can be used by executives to share information with the stakeholders.
- In addition, it plays a very important part in a variety of big data projects.
There are numerous data visualization tools available out in the market including Qlikview, Tableau, Power BI and many more along with Excel.
Statistical information:
Below we have some stats that show the importance of data visualization.
- If we mention a scientific claim in pure words or numbers then it is to be believed that 68% of the people will consider it correct. But if the same information is presented in the form of a simple graph then the number rises to 97%.
- Similarly, presenting data in high quality infographics are 30x more likely to be read by people than the one that is written in plain text.
- All those people who follow illustration-based directions tend to do 323% better than those who are following text-only directions.
Data visualization-Examples:
Now comes the most important part of our discussion that is, the different examples of data visualization. So here, we present to you some of the data visualization examples to help you understand how and where it is used.
Mission Mars 2024:
This below figure depicts vivid and rich details that were only possible to show because of data visualization. This is a 3D graphical figure that uses beautiful data visualizations to point out the vision of the future. By taking a look at this figure, you can find out the space missions and sending people into this space are all shown in a very attractive red-gray palette. Then you can see the complicated animation of terrain exploration and the depiction of space module flight are all quite breathtaking. All of this was possible to explain only because of data visualization.
Explaining a Movie Plot through Data Visualization:
We all have seen this famous movie “Inception” right? It is an American film that has been directed by “Christopher Nolan”. This movie was released in the year 2010 and its main focus is on dreams and reality.
Below you can find this simple yet colorful and interactive data visualization that is offering a detailed explanation of the entire film’s plot. So if you take a look at this visualization, you will realize that it has a step-by-step explanation of the storyline thereby guiding viewers through each dream level (as the movie is about an agent who has the ability to enter someone’s dreams and learn all their secrets). Therefore this data visualization has given us a complete understanding of the role of each character like where they are and the events that are happening simultaneously.
The Napoleon March Map:
In this below chart, you get to understand the story of Napoleon’s March to Moscow in order to conquer the city. This chart has become one of the most famous visualizations of all time as the story itself was quite interesting. Here in this map, you can find the details of the out-and-back journey of Napoleon’s troops. Similarly, the width of the line shows the number of soldiers and the color is representing the direction. This entire visualization is a simple temperature line graph depicting the rapidly dropping winter cold. This whole scene is quite effective and detailed and gives a staggering picture of the journey’s devastation. Even though this visualization has received quite the criticism yet it remains a hugely influential and successful visualization. Why because it managed to tell us a story that has rich details at each data point and encourages one’s curiosity.
Philosophy: A Visual Depiction of ideas:
As we live each day, different idea comes to our mind. Below you see data presentation which is a direct reflection of concepts from our everyday life. Now these ideas have been presented and analyzed based on their significance and duration and also the feelings that they evoke.
Creating Data Visualizations through Videos:
All the above were examples of data visualization where we have talked about how these visualizations can be used for different purposes. The above examples were in the form of images but one must also know that data visualization can take many different forms other than images. That is, you can depict data in the form of videos as well. Even though it won’t be as appealing and pleasing as the static images yet it will serve the purpose.
Conclusion:
These were some of the data visualization examples and other information relevant to it. So take a good look at this entire article and understand the few examples of data visualization and never stop learning.
