What is Data Visualisation?

In my last post, I discussed the future of text as video contents become more popular. A comment raised a question about how I see the role of visualisation as a content creator. Instead of just responding in the comment, I thought it would be best to write a blog about data visualisation. Without wasting much time, let’s get to it.

How about we start with a little exercise? Have you ever needed to obtain quick information from any dataset but struggled with it? Do you remember why you had to struggle? While I am not certain what your exact challenge is, I can say for a fact that the way data is presented goes a long way to determining how easily one could extract relevant information from the said data. Here is where data visualisation comes in.

Data Visualisation

What is Data Visualisation

Simply put, data visualisation is summarizing large and complex datasets into a visual format. You may wonder why anyone should go through that process considering how stressful it is to interpret data. I will tell you. 65 per cent of our current world population are visual learners. Data visualisation makes it easier to understand data. Also, the data will be more pleasant to look at, and this helps to grab the attention of the target audience.

A 2012 research carried out by PR Newswire shows that online views increase by about 29 per cent when interactive media, charts, and graphics are included in a press release that features photos and videos.

So it is safe to say that data visualisation is the use of charts, graphics, diagrams, figures, interactive media and other visual elements to interpret data such that the data grabs attention and is easier to understand. This leads us to the main goals of data visualisation.

Goals of Data Visualisation

Data visualisation has two main goals and they include:

• To grab attention: 63 per cent of the global population uses the internet. What would make your content stand out in a pile of contents? The target audience has unlimited options as 27 million contents are shared daily. However, as a content creator, you have limited time to grab the audience’s attention and you have to do that fast. Data visualisation might be all you need to grab the attention of your target audience. So take the time to present data in a pleasant, yet simplified way for your audience.
• To make data easier to understand: Your audience is most likely consuming your content because they need information. Data contain lots of vital information. But the audience does not always have the time to go through every bit of information. In 2022, the average person is faced with a lot of distractions and pressure to meet deadlines. So when people want any piece of information, they usually want it fast. When you use data visualisation, you make it easier for your audience to consume and understand the information presented. This in turn positions you as a reliable source of information.

Benefits of Data Visualisation

Data visualisation benefits your audience in more ways than already stated above. Let’s quickly look at other ways your audience can benefit from good data visualisation.

• Provide more insight: When statistics or words are used to explain certain occurrences, there might be a limit to how the audience would understand such occurrences. But with data visualisation, the audience would get a visual representation that would help them connect any missing dots. Data visualisation helps to provide additional insights thereby offering more meaning and context to the data shared.
• Enhance decision-making: An audience who has a better insight will find it easier to make decisions. When an audience is presented with a visual representation of the data presented, the audience can easily sift through the data and make sense of only the parts relevant to them. Data visualisation saves the audience from analysis paralysis and helps them make informed decisions faster than they would have otherwise made.
• Keep the audience engaged: The most-read story on The Washington Post is driven by visualisation. When data visualisation is combined with good storytelling, it becomes almost easy to get the attention of the target audience and keep them engaged. Data visualisation helps your audience see the value in the information provided to them. It helps you capture and retain the audience’s attention.
• Easy to repurpose: Content creation is not the easiest of things to do. I imagine that you would want to create contents that you could easily repurpose. Data visualisation can be done through several formats. You can easily use the format that suits your need at the moment and adjust as deemed fit, considering your subsequent needs.

I imagine that at this point you would be wondering how best to use data visualisation. I will put you through that in my next blog. Watch out for it.