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Effective Data Visualization: 7 Fundamental Principles

Data Visualization

Technology has made it possible for us to have access to a large amount of information. However, the complexity of this data has grown steadily over time. The real trouble arises when we are unable to effectively manage and utilize this enormous data resource. Thus, creative designing professionals have come up with the notion of data visualization in order to overcome this challenge encountered by firms today. 

Presenting data in visual form has become critical for everyone. Unfortunately, the task is a bit challenging, and we need best practices for successful data management using data visualizations.

Data Visualization: Overview

Data visualization has become more popular as a means of conveying information visually. This style of visual communication enables a web design agency to produce, examine, and communicate data graphically, allowing the viewer to easily comprehend complicated information based on its relevance and importance. Data visualizations allow us to visually portray information in the form of graphs and other illustrations, making it easier to share that data.

What is the Importance of Data Visualization?

When presented in the form of charts or graphs, the human brain is able to assimilate information more rapidly. As a result, in today’s fast-paced world, it is essential to provide complex information and analysis in the form of tables and charts. Concepts are conveyed quickly and readily through unique data visualizations by organizations. Hence, data visualization and infographics have become standard practices for modern marketers.

Data Visualization Has Several Advantages:

  • Assists you in identifying areas that require improvement or attention.
  • Allows you to better understand the elements that influence consumer actions.
  • Enables us to know where to position the various products.
  • Helps you to forecast sales volumes.

7 Fundamental Design Principles For Data Visualization 

#1 Identifying Your Ideal Audience

First and foremost, the designer must be aware of their intended audience. This is critical at the start of the design process. An understanding of what they want to communicate is essential for a successful design. Designers also need to know who their intended audience is and what degree of literacy they possess. Ethnic and cultural values should also be considered.

#2 Focusing on the Essentials

The primary goal of data visualization is to provide a visual hierarchy or to narrow the emphasis to relevant sections. In other words, the most critical information should be shown in the most visible manner. Designing a visual hierarchy is as simple as using size, color contrast, and positioning.

#3 Keeping Things Simple

Keeping things simple is the third principle. It is critical to break down data into smaller chunks. Making data visualizations that are easy to grasp at a glance is an important part of the design process.

#4 Balance in Layouts

The next step is the layout, which refers to the way information is organized or presented. The best presentations are well-balanced and visually appealing. A grid is commonly used as the design’s framework to accomplish this. Columns, like those found in newspapers, periodicals, and documents, are a typical way to arrange the information.

#5 Coordinating Alignment

Grouping relevant information and isolating unrelated information is the fifth rule. Connections and related items are commonly displayed using lines, backdrops, and boxes. Compartmentalize elements that are connected, and do the reverse with those that aren’t.

#6 Creating Stability

There must be a uniformity in the design. Standardizing fonts and point sizes, using colors consistently across graphics, and keeping an eye out for visual hierarchy consistency are all examples of what this may involve. We can’t overlook the themes. The design should adhere to a well-considered standard in every aspect. This is something that the designer would keep in mind if they were working with a company or brand.

#7 Escalating Engagement

Interactivity and mobility are essential considerations for designers. For a campaign to be a success it must keep its audience engaged and involved in the message. The desired message will not be conveyed if the visualization is not appealing.

Conclusion 

When it comes to data visualization, the goal is to make a data set more understandable to the intended audience by using visual elements. Using graphs and charts, today’s audiences are better able to grasp complicated subjects. Therefore, to present the most effective visualizations and easily comprehensible data, adhere to the aforementioned standards and best practices. Contact Us today to learn more.

Read more about importance of Data Visualization here.

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Design Technology Web Design

Importance Of Data Visualization And The Best Ways To Use It

Data Visualization

One of the key factors of a good user experience is ease of use. Bombarding users with loads of information hampers the user experience. Also, it’s best to offer engaging and intuitive content to users on your website. A massive block of text is neither exciting nor engaging. Information conveyed in a long, drawn-out paragraph can also be presented through a combination of imagery and type. Data visualization allows reading and interpreting information easily. It breaks down complex pieces of information and formats them into a visual depiction that is more readable and easier to understand. 

Data Visualization Simplifies The Process of Information Consumption

Dividing the information into visual elements can make it more natural to read and understand. Also, visual elements create a clear hierarchy so that users know the order in which they’re supposed to look at the information. It is frustrating on a user’s part if the information is hard to find or read. It leads to a negative interaction.

With information formatted into consumable portions, a user can easily pick out and identify the most significant bits. This reduces a user’s mental load. It places the information in front of them rather than in their head. 

Data Visualization Is Pleasing To The Eyes

It is a fact that some individuals are visual learners. Those who aren’t will still appreciate a well-designed, minimal and informed information hierarchy. The visual design of information enables the user to craft a narrative of the information and pick some things out to be read in a particular order and under a specific form of importance.

Color, typography, and arrangement of data can also match a company’s branding or product. With everything portraying a consistent design language and part of the same theme, the brand experience becomes more cohesive.

Data Visualization Serves Easy Understanding Of The Presented Information

In simple terms, data visualization is the communication of information in a manner that best suits your audience. It results in quick reads and fast comprehension by eliminating frustrating, confusing, and hard-to-read text. Various forms of data visualization methods can be seen in dashboard interfaces, be it physical or digital. 

Let’s take an example of institutions that deal with massive data – like healthcare companies and banks. They create digital dashboards so users can view and scan through their data quickly and efficiently. Allowing everything to be findable is the key to this designing and presenting. 

Visualization helps to understand the presented information efficiently and effectively. It acts as a visual assistant to help people amalgamate data easily and efficiently. Which, in turn, leads to an overall positive user experience. 

The following best practices will assist you in designing valuable, insightful data experiences through visuals.

Design As Per Your Audience

Visualization reveals patterns, presents context, and describes relations within data. While designers keep no influence over the patterns and relationships in a given data set, they can choose how much data to exhibit. 

Always display the data as per your target audience. Designers should structure visualizations in a straightforward, unambiguous and engaging manner for amateurs and newbies. The key takeaway or information from the data should be spelt out directly, in words. On the other hand, Visualizations for an expert audience can show a more coarse view of the data for reader-driven exploration and learning. Detail and data density should be focused more than simplicity and clarity.

Use Visual Prominence To Guide Users

Visual salience, which makes a visual element stand out against its surroundings, is a robust tool in data visualization. Designers can use it to guide the user’s attention to the most critical information in a visualization; this prevents information overload. Using visual salience to highlight some details and subdue others makes a design cleaner, clearer and easily understandable. A few visual variables, like color and size, are our keys to creating and managing visual salience.

Strip The Visual Clutter From Your Charts

Whether or not you support minimalism in design, you must strip the visual clutter from your charts. Make your data stand out by creating a visual contrast between data elements and non-data elements. 

Eliminate any structural elements (lines, backgrounds, borders, etc.) that don’t clarify the data. Compress fundamental structural elements (axes, grids, and tick marks) that would otherwise clash with your data for attention. Style grids in light grey at a maximum weight of 0.5 pt, and style axes in black or grey with a maximum weight of 1 pt.

Directly Label Data Points

Each visual element that encrypts some data needs to be labelled. The viewer must understand what it represents. However, many designers rely on legends to tell readers which symbols or colors represent which data series in their charts. Legends are hard on the reader. They force readers to scan back and forth between the data and the legend. It puts unnecessary pressure on readers’ working thoughts. A better option is to label data series directly on the chart.

Design for the Mobile

Static visualizations, typically published in bitmap image formats like JPG and PNG pose an apparent challenge for mobile viewers. The advantage of many data visualizations lies in their visual details, in tiny data points and subtle encodings. Many of these details get lost on tiny screens in static formats.

To design for a better mobile experience, create responsive visualizations using a JavaScript visualization library like D3.js or Highcharts. The other way is to create multiple variations of the exact static visualization for desktop, mobile and print.

Data can sometimes be hard to digest. When it comes to presenting data on your website, data visualization is one of the best ways. Visuals make an impact, and including them on your site enhances the overall user experience on many levels. 
Want to know more about data visualization? Speak to our experts.