Data Visualization Services

Choose the Appropriate Visualization

Visualization of data can be highly effective or ineffective based on the selection and application of the appropriate or inappropriate visualization technique.

The Data Visualisation Catalogue

What do you need your visualization to communicate to your audience? The Data Visualisation Catalogue web site guides your consideration of various chart, graph, and other visualization approaches based on your communication and/or analysis requirements.

from Data to Viz

The web site from Data to Viz offers an interactive tool that assists in your selection of the appropriate visualization technique by leading you through a decision tree. Based on your responses, it will recommend an appropriate visualization, provide some relevant code, and offer some common caveats for consideration.

Guidelines for effective visualizations

1. Know and understand your audience
2. Make sure to clearly identify what you are seeking to communicate
3. Adapt the visualization to the strengths of the medium and vice-versa
4. Captions are essential
5. Default settings should not assumed to be optimal
6. Color should be used selectively and effectively
7. Be careful not to inadvertently mislead your audience
8. Simple is good. Avoid "Chartjunk". 
9. Image is not everything. The goal is effective comprehension and communication, not the most impressive visualization. 
10. Use the best tool