The power of data visualizations is that they help us identify patterns in a sea of numbers, the scope or trend of a problem, or relationships between variables or entities. Data visualization gives us a better understanding of our data and helps us communicate that to others.
Don’t believe me? Consider a classic example, the Anscombe's Quartet. Looking at the data in tables and running basic statistical tests does not reveal the obvious patterns that emerge when the data is visualized.
First look at the data:
|
Anscombe's quartet |
|||||||
|
I |
II |
III |
IV |
||||
|
x |
y |
x |
y |
x |
y |
x |
y |
|
10.0 |
8.04 |
10.0 |
9.14 |
10.0 |
7.46 |
8.0 |
6.58 |
|
8.0 |
6.95 |
8.0 |
8.14 |
8.0 |
6.77 |
8.0 |
5.76 |
|
13.0 |
7.58 |
13.0 |
8.74 |
13.0 |
12.74 |
8.0 |
7.71 |
|
9.0 |
8.81 |
9.0 |
8.77 |
9.0 |
7.11 |
8.0 |
8.84 |
|
11.0 |
8.33 |
11.0 |
9.26 |
11.0 |
7.81 |
8.0 |
8.47 |
|
14.0 |
9.96 |
14.0 |
8.10 |
14.0 |
8.84 |
8.0 |
7.04 |
|
6.0 |
7.24 |
6.0 |
6.13 |
6.0 |
6.08 |
8.0 |
5.25 |
|
4.0 |
4.26 |
4.0 |
3.10 |
4.0 |
5.39 |
19.0 |
12.50 |
|
12.0 |
10.84 |
12.0 |
9.13 |
12.0 |
8.15 |
8.0 |
5.56 |
|
7.0 |
4.82 |
7.0 |
7.26 |
7.0 |
6.42 |
8.0 |
7.91 |
|
5.0 |
5.68 |
5.0 |
4.74 |
5.0 |
5.73 |
8.0 |
6.89 |
Now look at the data visualized:
Source: Anscombe’s quartet. (n.d.). Retrieved July 11, 2017 from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anscombe%27s_quartet
Still not convinced? Well consider some of these “True Stories about the Benefits of Data Visualization”: http://www.perceptualedge.com/blog/?p=601