Expanding data literacy with data visualizations

While the value of data and its role in informing decisions and communications is well known, its meaning can be incorrectly interpreted without data visualizations that provide context and accurate representation of the underlying numbers. Julie Rodriguez shares new approaches and visual design methods that provide a greater perspective of the data.

Data visualizations are often compromised representations that may limit our ability to understand the full story or lead us to shortsighted conclusions. Between multiple screen displays, tables of data, and basic charts that only show a limited perspective of the data, we are left with subpar tools to combine and analyze data. Collectively, we know we need to improve our data experiences, as well as our ability to see the main issues, discover the hidden details, make connections, and compare the top ideas. And increasing amounts of data only heighten the need to do more with the data we have and ensure our decisions are well considered. As a result, we also need better methods to navigate data and extract multiple questions from datasets so that our follow up queries are only a click away. Julie Rodriguez draws upon examples from her book Visualizing Financial Data to show you how to turn your raw data into meaningful information. Along the way, Julie shares new visual design methods that provide a greater perspective of the data through embedded context, adjustments to commonly used charts, and new chart types that are easier to read and comprehend. Topics include: