Applying Tips from Visual Insights

in Your Dataviz Projects

Tips from Visual Insights2

Data analysis:

A key step to better

visualize your data

Tips from Visual Insights3

Micro

Meso

Macro

Levels of data analysis:

Micro Analysis

Tips from Visual Insights4

Could you analyze your data on a whiteboard or a

piece of paper? If so, you’re working at the

individual or micro level.

Macro Analysis

Tips from Visual Insights5

On the other end of the spectrum you’ll find the

global or macro level of analysis.

Datasets at this level are

incredibly large and can

require the use of a

supercomputer to

perform computations.

Meso Analysis

Tips from Visual Insights6

The local or meso level of analysis is for datasets

that are too complex to analyze by hand, but only

require a regular computer.

Types of data analysis:

Tips from Visual Insights7

Once you have determined the level of analysis

that is right for your dataset, you can select which

type of analysis is best to perform:

• Network and tree (who questions)

• Topical (what questions)

• Geospatial (where questions)

• Temporal (when questions)

Tips from Visual Insights8

Addresses the question of when by

helping the user identify time-based

information, such as:

• Growth rates

• Latency to peak times

• Decay rates

• Trends

• Seasonality

• Bursts

Temporal Analysis (When)

When questions are answered with

time-series data

Tips from Visual Insights9

1.

2. Continuous data: measured on a scale

Examples:

Physical measurements such as volume and temperature

Continuous data could be any possible value

1. Discrete data: finite number of values possible

Examples:

There are only two sides of a coin, a switch can only be on or off

Discrete data can be simply described as “a count of things”

Answering a when question

Tips from Visual Insights10

Geospatial Analysis (Where)

Tips from Visual Insights11

Addresses the where by identifying position or

movement over geographic space. Uses thematic

maps:

• Choropleth

• Isopleth

• Cartogram

• Proportional symbol

Geospatial example:

Tips from Visual Insights12

Below is a choropleth showing total outbreaks by state over the 14 year

period our dataset covers.

Tips from Visual Insights13

The process of “extracting a set

of unique words [...] and their

frequencies to determine the topic

coverage of a body of text”.

In other words, what is

the body of text about?

Topical Analysis (What)

Topical example:

Tips from Visual Insights14

To answer the “WHAT” question, we used a wordcloud to identify the

most common vehicles of food borne disease during the covered time

period.

Tips from Visual Insights15

Network and Tree Analysis (Whom)

Network diagrams and treemaps show hierarchical

connections. This makes them effective for telling

whom stories.

Tips from Visual Insights16

Network Diagrams and Tree Maps

These charts can range from simple mind maps on

a napkin to dense visualizations that require

zooming and panning.

Treemap example:

Tips from Visual Insights17

INFO

Tips from Visual Insights18

Dataviz Takeaway

Dataviz starts and ends with questions.

• What questions do we have?

• What questions did we answer?

• More importantly, what questions did we discover?

Tips from Visual Insights19

“Done right, visualizations are more impactful.

However, done wrong, visualizations can make

data even more confusing!”

- Kaiser Fung

Read more on this book and view the interactive charts at:

http://www.zingchart.com/blog/2015/04/29/visual-insights-

practical-tips-for-data-analysis

Remember: