Data analystCustomers or prospectsRole Immediate responseInform or educate Purpose or Action

The define step also considers the purpose for the visualization to meet the needs of the
audience. Will the visualization be used to inform or educate the audience, or will it be
used to influence a decision? Is there an immediate problem to be solved, or is the
purpose to explore the data to provide more insights for strategic decisions? To answer
these questions, it will be important for the visualization designer to meet with the
audience to understand the business need or purpose at the beginning.

Example

Hotel staff tells management new mattresses are needed because of guest feedback. The
hotel manager needs to decide where to invest in hotel improvements. The visualization
designer meets with the hotel manager to understand the business problem. Data are
collected from guest surveys and online comments, and a visualization is designed to look
at guest sentiment over time. The visualization is used to explore the data and to
determine if bed comfort or mattress complaints are a problem compared with other
issues. The visualization designer presents the story by showing different visualizations
with a recommendation to the hotel manager who can see clearly where funding is
needed to improve guest feedback and reduce loss of business.

Step 2: Data

The second step to create a good visualization is to understand the data to be used for the
visualization. Creating a visualization should be relative to the purpose as defined in the
first step. Understanding what type of data is available, how much data are available, and
if the data available can tell the right story through a visualization is also important.

Types of Data

When it comes to visualizations, data can be categorized into different types. The most
common groupings are known as structured or unstructured. When data are put into a
workable format, such as a table with rows and columns or a database, it is considered
structured. Unstructured data include data that do not fit into a standard workable format
and may include data such as text or comments. When working with unstructured data to
create a visualization, additional work may be needed first to put the data into a workable
format.

Chapter 18.1: An Introduction to Data Visualizations