Unit 2
Visualization : Charts, Graphs, Widgets, Scorecards
and Dashboards, Geographic Visualization, Integrated
Analytics, Considerations : Optimizing the
Presentation for the right message
Visualizations
• Data Visualization is any effort to help people understand
the significance of data by placing it in a visual context.
• Data Visualization is the presentation of data in a pictorial
or graphical format.
• Different types of visualization:
– Charts
– Graphs
– Widgets
– Scorecards
– Dashboards
– Geographic Visualization
5 Fundamental ways to use Data
Visualization
1. Bar Charts
2. Bullet Graphs
3. Box Plots
4. Tree Maps
5. Spark Lines
Charts
• Four of the most common charts:
1. Histogram
2. Bar Chart
3. Pie Chart
4. Line Chart
Contd..
Graphs
• A graph represents relation between variable
quantities, typically of 2 variables, each measured
along one of a pair of axes at right angles.
• Example : Line Graph
• A line graph is used to visualize the values of
something over a specified period of time.
Contd..
• For example, your sales department may plot the change in
the number of sales your company has on hand over time.
• Data points that display the values are connected by
straight lines.
• When to use line graphs?
– When you want to display trends.
– When you want to represent trends for different categories over
the same period of time and thus to show comparison.
Contd..
• For example, this line graph shows the total units of a company sales of
Product A, Product B, and Product C from 2012 to 2019.
• Here, we can see at a glance that the top-performing product over the years
is product C, followed by Product B.
Heat map
• This is graph that tiles a two – dimensional space using
tiles of different sizes and colors.
• A heat map is good for displaying many simultaneous
values yet highlighting specific ones based on their
values.
• As an example, a heat map can display the number of
times each particular link on a web page was clicked,
and can highlight the times of greatest activity.
Heat Map
Spider or radar chart
• A spider chart displays a series of variable values across a
collection of dimensions. Each dimension is represented as an axis
emanating from the center with specific gradations.
• A set of observations can be mapped as points (and connected
with lines).
• Different observations can be graphed using different colors.
• An example using a spider chart looks at a number of different
characteristics of products (price, height, width weight, mean time
between failure) and relative success allowing the analyst to
quickly compare different products and look for correlation of the
variable values.
Spider or Radar chart
Spark line
• Spark line are small line graphs without axes or
coordinates.
• Many spark line can be used in relative comparison
regarding trends.
• As an example, the trends of different stock price
histories for similar companies can be compared to
determine of there are industry trends relating to stock
price.
Spark line
Score cards and dash boards
• Scorecards and dashboards are two different approaches for
consolidating the presentation of reported results to a particular user
type.
• A scorecard usually presents the value of key performances indicators
as well ass indicators reflecting whether those KPI values are
acceptable or not.
• The scorecard presentation may also be enhanced with historical
trends and indications if the KPIs have been improving or not over
time.
• Scorecards are often updated on a periodic basis (e.g.daily or hourly)
Score cards
Dashboards
• Dashboards provide some degree of flexibility to the user in
crafting the presentation that is most relevant to the way he/she
operates.
• Dashboards are large variety of channels, ranging from the
traditional browser – based format to handheld mobile devices.
• Through the interactive nature of the dashboards, the
knowledge worker can drill down through the key indicators
regarding any emerging opportunities, as well as take action
through integrated process – flow.
contd…
• Dashboards is a mashup, which allows the knowledge
consumers to represent their own combination of
analytics and reports with external data streams, news
feeds, social networks, and other web2.0 resources in a
visualization framework that specifically suits their own
business needs and objectives.
• The mashup framework provides the “glue” for integrating
data stream and BI with interactive business applications.
Dashboards
Geographic Visualization
• Geovisualization (short for geographic visualization), refers to a
set of tools and techniques supporting the analysis of geospatial
Data [ lat & long ] through the use of interactive visualization.
• Applications of Geo Visualizations
– Wildland fire fighting - Sandbox
– Forestry - CommonGIS and Visualization Toolkit
– Archaeology -
– Environmental studies
– Urban planning
Geovisualization tools :
1. Mapbox - creating beautiful web and mobile maps (satellite
images, geocoding or directions)
Contd..
2. CARTO – CartoDB, best platform for complex and dynamic
geospatial data visualization and analysis.
Contd..
3. ArcGIS Online - Easy to use, cloud based
environment
Considerations: Optimizing the
Presentation for the Right Message
• The wide palette of available graphs, charts, indicators, dials, knobs, etc, at
times, detract from the content when the presentation overwhelms the
values that are being presented.
• Here are some quick guidelines to keep in mind when laying out a BI
dashboard.
– Choose the right visualization graphic
– Manage your “real estate”
– Maintain context
– Be Consistent
– Keep it simple
– Engage
Choose the right visualization graphic
• Don’t let the shiny graphics fool you into using
a visual component that does not properly
convey the indent result.
• For example, line charts are good for depicting
historical trends of the same variable over time
but bar charts may not be as good a choice.
Contd..
Manage your “real estate”
• The available screen space limits what can be displayed
at one time, and this is what is referred to as screen “real
estate”.
• When optimizing the presentation for the right message,
consider the following considerations:
– the main context,
– consistency,
– simplicity of the message, and
– engagement.
Maintain context
• You must recognize that the presentation of value is subjected
to variant interpretations when there is no external context
defining its meaning.
• For example, presenting a value on a dial – gauge conveys the
variable’s magnitude, but not whether that value is good, bad,
or indifferent.
• Adjusting the dial gauge with a red zone (to indicate a bad
value) and a green zone (to indicate a good value) provides the
context of the displayed magnitude.
Be Consistent
• When the power of self – service dashboard development is
placed in the hands of many data consumers, their own biases
will lead to an explosion of variant ways of representing the
same or similar ideas.
• The result is that what makes sense to one grows with wider
dissemination.
• Consistent representations and presentations (and
corresponding selection of standard visualization graphics) will
help to ensure consistent interpretations.
Keep it simple
• Don’t inundate presentation with fancy –
looking graphics that don’t add to the decision
making process.
• Often the simpler the presentation, the more
easily the content is conveyed.
Engage
• Engage the user community and agree on
standards practices, and a guide book for
developing visualization parameters for
delivery and presentation.
Contd..
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