As technology continues to advance it continues to spoil users. Any bit of information needed or wanted is at the fingertips of consumers and absorbed within seconds. At the beginning of the internet age we could find these tidbits of information located on plain web pages –nothing but coded text. With the passing of time we began seeing advanced technology that brought us beautifully laid out websites full of information. This brings us to present day. While we are still presented with aesthetic websites, the need for data visualization must also be fulfilled. Internet users want quick, useful, and easy-to-digest information presented to them in a pretty package. Scott Berinato explains this in his book, Good Charts. The author states how data visualization has become a part of our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. He gives a real-world example.
Increasingly, when an executive sees a line chart that’s been spit out of Excel and pasted into a presentation, she wonders why it doesn’t look more like the simple, beautiful charts on her fitness-tracker app.
(Berinato, 2016)
This example from Good Charts makes you wonder, what is more important in dataviz (data visualization), looks or contents? Let’s explore.
The Data
Even before dataviz had a name it was being used widely. In early examples of data visualization, it was all about the information. Who will see the information? What do they want and need from the information? What idea does this information need to convey? (Berinato, 2016). For example, mapmaking, which occurred pre-17thcentury, was all about helping with navigation and exploration. In addition, Egyptian surveyors visually plotted out coordinates in order to help plan towns that were to be built (Friendly, 2016). With the simplest materials, it was up to these people to convey data clearly and efficiently so that these workers could accomplish their vital jobs. These early creators exhibited the core of what dataviz is–a simplified communication of complex data. What pieces of information will best help achieve their goals?
The Visualization
As centuries passed since the first examples of dataviz, the ability to elevate the “visual” aspect of these communications grew and grew. When the use of computers began, digital charts of all kinds were able to be made quickly and easily. With these digital advancements came more options for chart elements. The importance behind those elements were that they allowed for information to be displayed in new ways that may better fit any certain dataset. The key to creating a successful infographic is all about understanding the context in which the information needs to be displayed (Berinato, 2016). In present years, it is easy to get distracted by “chartjunk” and say that an infographic is done well because it is visually attractive. While chartjunk can be used to make a piece more memorable, the reality is that a beautiful chart means nothing if its data is not displayed in context (Berinato, 2016). As when choosing data, you must ask yourself the Who, What, When, Where, and Whys of your visual elements. Develop your “chart art” because it aids in the communication of your data.
The Conclusion
After briefly covering two sides of dataviz, the informational and the visual, are we able to pick which facet may be more important? I have to say, I don’t think we can. In today’s market the focus must be on both the data and the art! In order to create high-quality pieces that are favored by users we have to meet their needs on both ends of the spectrum. By utilizing ever-progressing technology we can break through dataviz boundaries–applying innovative visualization to multifaceted data. The advancement that data visualization has seen in recent years is exciting for designers specifically, and with a continual stream of new platforms to innovate for the limit seems endless. Ultimately, it is up to designers to create examples of dataviz that emphasize both informational and graphical characteristics. In turn, keeping the space of data visualization authentic.
Samantha Mantiglia 