The document discusses 5 fundamental ways that data visualizations are used: 1. To analyze data through visual representations like charts, graphs, maps and plots in order to see trends, anomalies, correlations and patterns. 2. To discover information buried in large datasets through interactive visualizations that allow exploration of data to find unknown information. 3. To support a story by providing context, engaging audiences and emphasizing key points, as effective speakers use visuals to make stories memorable. 4. To tell a story on its own, with some data visualizations serving as the story without text. 5. To teach, as visual learning is more efficient and retains information better than text alone.

1. fundamental
ways we use
Visualizations
Data
the

2. the
human
is
brain
amazing

3. especially at
and
recognizing
shapes
patterns

4. the
connection
the eye
between
and brain ...
fast

5. the brain
receives
Mb/s
8.96 megabits
of data8.96 from the eye
every second
Koch, K., (2006). How Much the Eye Tells the Brain. Current Biology, 16(14), 1428-1434
Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982206016393

6. the speed
of sight 8.96Mb/s

7. the average
person
comprehends
120 wordsper minute
reading

8. that is
equivalent to
b/s
81.6 bits
of data81.6 per second

9. let’s compare
reading comprehension speed
visual comprehension speed
*not close to fitting on this chart

10. we are not wired
to read fast

11. we are wired
to visualize fast

12. data visualizations
when used
can be
Awesome
right way
Tools the

13. there are five
we use
fundamental ways
data visualizations
5effectively

14. Bike Rides and Running Routes Heat Map from Strava Labs
Retrieved from http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#6/-83.63437/39.30140/blue/both
1To analyze

15. charts
bar
graphs
Line
graphs
Bullet
maps
Heat
lines
spark
plots
Box
plots
scatter
maps
Tree

16. these tools help us
trendssee
anomalies
correlations
patterns

17. Waves Interactive Data Visualization From Initial State
Retrieved from https://initialstate.com/Tools/Waves

18. and make
decisions

19. Student Performance Dashboard by Stephen Few
Retrieved from http://www.perceptualedge.com/blog/?p=1466
a well-designed
dashboardallows you to
Analyzemassive datasets
At-a-glance

20. Student Performance Dashboard by Stephen Few
Retrieved from http://www.perceptualedge.com/blog/?p=1466

21. 2To discover

22. if you need to find
something
buried inside
data points1,000,000

23. would you rather
reador
1,000,000 data points
See
?

24. what if you don’t
know exactly what
it is you are even
looking for?

25. you can’t build a
dashboard
for that!

26. interactive
data visualizations
Lines Interactive Data Visualization From Initial State
Retrieved from https://initialstate.com/Tools/Lines
let you mine data
to discover
information

27. 3To Support
A Story

28. the right data visualization can
contextprovide
engagethe audience
emphasizekey points

29. great speakers
use visuals to
make their
memorable
story

30. 4To Tell A Story
By Itself

31. sometimes
story
the data visualization
is the
... a story without a sentence

32. Brazil World Cup 2014: Who’s Your Pick? by InfographicBox IDS
Retrieved from http://visual.ly/brazil-world-cup-2014-who’s-your-pick

33. 5To teach

34. our brains perform
and
more efficiently
more information
is retained
when we learn from visuals

35. to analyze
to discover
to support a story
to tell a story
to teach
1
2
3
4
5
the fundamental ways we use
data visualizations

36. https://www.initialstate.com
we build data visualizations
for product debug