Imagine if the thousands of data you have could speak to you. And not with incomprehensible terms, but with a clear and familiar language. That can really help you understand information and display it easily. Such a system, capable of guiding you through the data magnum, really exists.
And not only that: these data can be “illustrated” thanks to truly effective visualization techniques. Because an image is worth a thousand words, but also a thousand data. And today, with data, we are literally submerged!
Today, in everyday work, companies have at their disposal a valuable tool, that of Big Data, which, however, they do not always manage to exploit properly. They can count on a complex set of data, but precisely because of their immense quantity they do not know how many and which are really useful for their business.
Storing them and having them available is not enough: you need to understand their meaning. For this, you need a Business Intelligence tool that is able to make this data comprehensible and interpretable, even by non-experts.
The ideal for management (think for example of companies in the retail sector) would be to have an overview of all activities in ten seconds. An increasingly feasible dream through Data Visualization features. The ability to understand by all company components passes through the Data Visualization tools. If acquiring a working method for data analysis is fundamental, so is knowing how to make our data “speak” through a clear visualization in graphic form. Let’s see why!
What is Data Visualization?
Data Visualization is a discipline that deals with identifying the best ways to represent data graphically, using tools that make the data usable and accessible at all times, ready to be explored interactively.
An essential activity in the field of data analysis, so much so that we often speak of Data Visualization design, that is, a structured approach for the creation of visual and interactive reports, which allow the observer to interpret them easily, to grasp quickly the most significant information and identify the consequences they will have on any decisions.
Why is it important to make sense of the data in visual form?
Graphical tools like Excel and PowerPoint are always widely used in companies, but their functionality is very limited in terms of Data Visualization. To be clear and usable, information must be displayed: for this reason, Data Visualization has now become an indispensable skill for those who work with data.
Images have a synthesis capacity superior to that of words, and can quickly convey more information within everyone’s reach. On the other hand, the graphical representation of data takes up concepts of Gestalt theory. According to this psychology, our perception does not depend on the individual elements, but on their structuring in an organized whole.
Let’s take a practical example. The data can be reported on a graph or dashboard that represents the sales trend, in order to immediately understand the positive and negative trends. Thus trends can be assessed more easily and interpreted according to your skills. It is an intelligent reading of business processes that represents a great opportunity for your company, and especially for operators in the retail sector.
This tool allows you to get to know customers and their purchasing behavior, to understand what the products and categories are, the service needs that a company can support.
Integrated into a Business Intelligence system, Data Visualization provides information in real-time and allows in-depth analysis through reports and models. Organizations can thus react faster to any change in context, increasing the system’s resilience coefficient. Time is obviously an important factor, but in this case, there is no need to worry. In just ten seconds you can have all the information you need.
Another big advantage of Data Visualization tools is the transversality factor. How many times did you have to wait before making a decision, just because some employees were unable to read the information? With graphical visualization.
On the other hand, all company components can understand the data, and it will be easier to instruct others to read them, without the need for technical knowledge. A sort of “information democratization” that will resolve any interpretative doubt, helping to speed up business processes considerably.
If you’re not sure of how to go about it, you can always take the help of specialized consultants, such as Think Data Group. Visit Think Data Group’s website here to reach out to veterans with years of experience in data analytics.
Which Data Visualization tool is right for you?
To answer this question it is important to understand what your company’s needs are, how much data you have available, and how you want to use it. For example, you may have available aggregate data or geographic coordinates to represent on a map.
Or maybe you want to view the information in your possession with specific graphic components that allow user interactions. Setting up and following an analysis method appropriate to your business is essential to obtain support in your decisions.
Today there are many Data Visualization tools, both free and paid, from those dedicated to the less experienced to the more complex ones designed for those who already have a high level of technical and IT skills. There really is something for all tastes, and faced with such a wide offer, choosing becomes difficult.
