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Why you Should be Using Charting and Visualization Technology

For BI (business intelligence), speed matters a lot. How quickly you can attain information, analyze it and make decisions sets you apart from your competitors. A key step between the analysis of your data and informed decision making is the presentation of your data. You need visualizations that are highly informative and easy for the mind to discern. We’ve reached a point where we can quickly make discoveries based on information found in massive amounts of data by applying complex algorithms, but if we don’t employ visualizations, charts, and dashboards that drive the information home with effective design, a lot of that complex work and a lot of the effort is literally wasted. This is why you should explore the benefits of data visualization technology.

Easy to Understand Complexity Requires More than Default Graphs

Now more than ever, user-friendly interfaces are needed to help illustrate what the data is actually saying through charts and graphs. You need charts that are more advanced than your standard default bar charts and line graphs and you must have the ability to tailor your charts to your specific target audience. This doesn’t mean the design should be overly ornate. Excellent graphs and charts are about clarity. The best interface is one you don’t even notice because it’s almost transparent and doesn’t get in your way. Every element is there for a reason and anything that isn’t necessary to the message is removed. Vendors who specialize is data visualization spend a lot of time focusing on this. They can help you choose the right chart to display your information and help you with custom charts if you need something outside of what they already offer.
Sample Comparative Analysis Chart from ChartExpo

This sample comparative analysis chart designed by ChartExpo shows the shift of consumer sentiment over time for a hospital.

“Real time” Dashboards

Buzzwords are annoying, but we can’t ignore the value of seeing things as they happen and having the ability to compare data over time from a single interface. Well-designed dashboards are highly valuable for displaying data history over time and analyzing patterns. A chart is a picture while a well-designed dashboard is a collection of valuable interactive visuals. Having charts you can dig deeper into and having the ability to pull and interact with multiple data feeds at once will increase your value as a data professional.

Here is a helpful checklist of things to consider when exploring data visualization providers:

 
• Are you invited to try the product before you buy
• Is the interface easy to use
• Is the service provider helpful and able to assist you in designing charts for your specific needs
• Does it offer real-time streaming capability
• Can you use it across platforms, devices and browsers
• Does it integrate well with your current data feeds
• Are their various chart options that you can manipulate easily
• What technology are they using (latest, popular, easy-to-use)
• How quickly can you begin using it

These are merely things to think about. There are lots of options on the market and depending on your skills and budget there are free open source tools as well as very expensive solutions you can look into. As data professionals who spend a considerable amount of time analyzing data, we appreciate the importance of good design and visualization and we’re committed to helping our clients display their data in the most valuable and impactful way possible.