Key Concepts

1. Create multiple views (visualizations) using the same data.
2. Choose the appropriate chart type for the data.
3. Use data visualization best practices.

1. Should display data without distracting decoration.
2. Unneeded details are what Edward Tufte – The godfather of modern data visualization- calls chart junk.
3. Like shadings that reduce contrast.
4. Or 3D views that make it hard to see where a bar starts and ends.
5. And gradients and colors that are purely decorative.

Resources

Use the following external links for additional resources.

You can get a custom color from an image: Use an image color picker to find out the hex code or RGB code.

Copy pre-tested color gradients:

    1. ColorBrewer 2.0
    2. CartoColors

Use a single color or group of colors as inspiration to create your palette

    3. Colorpicker for data
    4. Chroma.js Color Palette Helper

Practice Quiz

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Worksheet

Practice the module by completing the worksheet and revise what you learnt.

Self Assessment

Complete this assessment to demonstrate your current knowledge of the Represent stage:

Review

Horizonal assessment of the represent stage across the data visualization process mapped to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Hierarchical Learning

What you should know:

Bloom’s Taxonomy Hierarchy	You should know
Remember	This step determines the basic form that a set of data will take. Some data sets are shown as lists, others are structured like trees or spreadsheets or so forth. The Represent stage is a linchpin that informs the single most important decisionin a visualization project and can make you rethink earlier stages. How you choose to represent the data can influence the very first step (what you acquire) and the filter step (what particular pieces you extract).
Understand	Different chart types, layouts and what questions to ask when deciding which chart to use. Do you want to compare values? Do you want to show the composition of something? Do you understand the distribution of your data? Are you interested in analyzing trends in your data set? Do you understand the relationship between value sets? What visualization stages are impacted by the refine stage and how.
Apply	Appropriate chart types to fit different types of data and the implications of the represent stage on the data visualization process.
Evaluate	If the appropriate chart type, best practices and techniques are evident in the visual representation of the data.
Analysis	If the data is sufficient to address/answer the question to be solved or if additional data is needed.
Create	Plan, generate, and produce a set of visualizations.

Choosing a Chart Type

What do you want to do?	Chart Type
Compare Values	To create a comparison chart, use these types of graphs: Column, Mekko, Bar, Pie (with caution), Line,Scatter Plot, Bullet.
Show Composition	Use this type of chart to show how individual parts make up the whole of something: Pie (with caution), Stacked bar, Mekko, Stacked column, Area, Waterfall
Show Distribution	Distribution charts help you to understand outliers, the normal tendency, and the range of information in your values. Use these charts to show distribution: Scatter plot, Mekko, Line, Column, Bar.
Analyze Trends	If you want to know more information about how a data set performed during a specific time period, there are specific chart types that do extremely well: Line, Dual-Axis line, column. When trying to establish the relationship between things, use these charts: Scatter plot, Bubble, Line Chart.
Understand Relationships between values	Relationship charts are suited to showing how one variable relates to one or numerous different variables. You could use this to show how something positively effects, has no effect, or negatively effects another variable.

Resources

Charts:

Data Vis Project: Collection of data visualization charts.
Chart Chooser
Choose the right chart type for your data. [Tableau]
The Data Visualization Catalog
The Data Visualization Checklist

Colors:

How to choose colors for your Data Visualizations
Color for data visualization
Color Brewer

What you should be able to do:

Bloom’s Taxonomy Hierarchy	You should be able to do
Remember	Describe what happens in the represent stage
Understand	Describe what stages are impacted by the represent stage and how.
Apply	Demonstrate the ability to use the appropriate visualization tool/chart/layout for the task.
Evaluate	Determine if the data is sufficient or if additional data is needed.
Analysis	Determine if sufficient data is available to visually represent the data.
Create	Plan, generate, and produce insightful visualizations.

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