For Public Health Organizations, Data Visualization Is Not a Choice

An interactive widget shows data visualizations and key information about child vaccination throughout the United States. View the full interactive widget.

As coronavirus continues to spread around the globe, it’s probably safe to say that just about everyone is on the edge of their seat. It’s hard to let a day — even an hour — go by without checking for the latest update. And what we’re watching is the numbers: how many infections, how many deaths, how many cities, how many countries. But without data visualization, it can be hard to process all of this information in a meaningful way.

I live near one of the biggest outbreaks in the United States right now. And alongside the regular news updates here in Seattle, we’re also hearing a lot of rumors. Whether it’s about how the virus spreads or how to keep ourselves safe, there’s lots of conflicting information going around.

And that’s why just any data visualization isn’t enough to keep us safe and help us track what’s going on. What we need is accurate, high-quality data visualization. When it comes to health care and public health, anything less is irresponsible — and sometimes even dangerous.

Accurate, high-quality data visualization is, in many cases, the most responsible and effective way to share information and educate people.