Transform information into insights in 6 steps
Data visualisation — Tom ten Voorde
In today's digital age, data is everywhere. The ability to interpret and communicate it effectively is, what distinguishes successful businesses. In this blog post, we'll dive into the importance of data visualization and outline six essential steps to unlock the power of your data.
Collection of Data Visualisation

Whether you're after quick insights or a detailed comprehension of your data, a quality visualization gets you there.

Why good data visualization matters

In a world flooded with information, quality data visualization provides clarity. It simplifies complex datasets into easily understandable insights, enabling informed decision-making and driving business success. Whether you’re showing the status of an energy system or looking for a quick overview of job applicants, the power of good data visualization is obvious.

Data Visualisation of a complex table
1 – Know your audience

Before diving into the world of data visualization, it's crucial we understand your audience. Are you presenting data to a communication department that needs high-level insights, or to electrical installers who require granular details? Tailoring the visualizations to resonate with your audience ensures maximum impact and engagement.

Adapting to your audience underscores the importance of accessibility. It means making charts and graphs easy to see and understand for everyone. That includes using clear colors, adding descriptions for images, and making sure everything works with just a keyboard. It's about organizing data neatly, adding labels, and letting users customize their view. By focusing on accessibility, we make data visualizations inclusive and useful for everyone.

2 – Choose the right visualization

With a variety of visualizations available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. From straightforward donut charts to complex combinations of visualizations, each offers distinct solutions to different requirements. We consider factors such as your target audience, data complexity, interactivity needs and aesthetic preferences when selecting the right visualization.

3 – Clean and prepare the data

"Garbage in, garbage out" also applies the world of data visualization. Before creating the visualizations, it's essential to clean and prepare the data to ensure accuracy and reliability. This includes removing duplicates, handling missing values, and standardizing formats.

Our data science team is able to fetch the data from your systems and pays attention to providing the best foundation for meaningful insights which saves time later in the process. We also have the knowledge to tailor the data and provide deep analysis for your business. Hence, allowing it to be more efficient by proposing unforeseen services.

4 – Design with purpose

Effective data visualization is as much about design as it is about data. Each element of the visualization should serve a purpose, guiding the viewer's attention and conveying key insights. That’s why we pay close attention to color choices, typography, and layout to create visually appealing and informative visualizations.

Aligning data visualization with your brand guidelines ensures consistency and reinforces brand identity. By using brand colors and fonts, the visual elements effectively communicate while resonating with the brand's personality and values.

5 – Tell a compelling story

Data visualization is more than just presenting numbers; it's about storytelling. Consider the story you want to convey and structure your visualizations accordingly. Whether it's highlighting a trend, showcasing a correlation, or revealing an anomaly, storytelling adds depth and context to your data.

6 – Iterate and refine

Achieving quality data visualization is an iterative process. We research different visualization techniques and involve your audience. This ensures we exceed the expectations of your audience, while aiming for clarity and impact with each iteration.

Data Visualisation of the Victron Energy Dynamic ESS graph

Even for complex questions like visualizing algorithm behavior, data visualization offers an answer.

Conclusion

In today's data-driven world, the ability to effectively visualize your information is essential. By following these six steps — knowing your audience, choosing the right visualization, cleaning and preparing your data, designing with purpose, telling a compelling story, and iterating and refining — we unlock the power of data within your organization.

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