What do you think?
Rate this book
Data Visualization For Dummies
Big data is big news! Every company, industry, not-for-profit, and government agency wants and needs to analyze and leverage datasets that can quickly become ponderously large. Data visualization software enables different industries to present information in ways that are memorable and relevant to their mission. This full-color guide introduces you to a variety of ways to handle and synthesize data in much more interesting ways than mere columns and rows of numbers.
Learn meaningful ways to show trending and relationships, how to convey complex data in a clear, concise diagram, ways to create eye-catching visualizations, and much more!
Effective data analysis involves learning how to synthesize data, especially big data, into a story and present that story in a way that resonates with the audience
This full-color guide shows you how to analyze large amounts of data, communicate complex data in a meaningful way, and quickly slice data into various views
Explains how to automate redundant reporting and analyses, create eye-catching visualizations, and use statistical graphics and thematic cartography
Enables you to present vast amounts of data in ways that won't overwhelm your audience
Part technical manual and part analytical guidebook, Data Visualization For Dummies is the perfect tool for transforming dull tables and charts into high-impact visuals your audience will notice...and remember.
Learn meaningful ways to show trending and relationships, how to convey complex data in a clear, concise diagram, ways to create eye-catching visualizations, and much more!
Effective data analysis involves learning how to synthesize data, especially big data, into a story and present that story in a way that resonates with the audience
This full-color guide shows you how to analyze large amounts of data, communicate complex data in a meaningful way, and quickly slice data into various views
Explains how to automate redundant reporting and analyses, create eye-catching visualizations, and use statistical graphics and thematic cartography
Enables you to present vast amounts of data in ways that won't overwhelm your audience
Part technical manual and part analytical guidebook, Data Visualization For Dummies is the perfect tool for transforming dull tables and charts into high-impact visuals your audience will notice...and remember.
236 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2013
16 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 11, 2014
The arrival of this book was very timely, as I sat at my desk contemplating how I was going to present some information in a spreadsheet to various audiences. Should I use bar charts, pie charts, 2D, 3D, and what about the supporting text, and what colours should I use for the message I wanted to convey?
However, this book is not just about how to present information; it takes the reader back to basics, asking, for example, why information is being collected, so as to ensure that its value and potential, when analysed and presented correctly, is understood.
It also stresses the importance of considering one’s target audiences in order to understand what information should be presented and how.
Various data visualisation techniques are explored based on the type of information, including dashboards, gauges and ‘infographics’, whilst highlighting the need to be conscious of where the information is going to be displayed, such as on a browser or a mobile app. There is also an interesting chapter on how people digest data, and how this can be used to help determine how to present information.
In the main part of the book the author takes the reader through a structured way of creating data visualisation using a ‘storyboard’. This also includes a discussion on how to use colour and text, and the use of interactive features to allow for dynamic updates to the visualisation.
The book closes with some examples of real data visualisations, pitfalls for newbies and some further resources. More examples would have helped, as there were not many visualisation ideas that amazed or surprised me.
In summary, a good place to start if you are involved in capturing information with a view of presenting it to various audiences, but still leaves plenty of room for you to apply your own imagination.
Reviewed by Mehmet Hurer MBCS CITP CEng
However, this book is not just about how to present information; it takes the reader back to basics, asking, for example, why information is being collected, so as to ensure that its value and potential, when analysed and presented correctly, is understood.
It also stresses the importance of considering one’s target audiences in order to understand what information should be presented and how.
Various data visualisation techniques are explored based on the type of information, including dashboards, gauges and ‘infographics’, whilst highlighting the need to be conscious of where the information is going to be displayed, such as on a browser or a mobile app. There is also an interesting chapter on how people digest data, and how this can be used to help determine how to present information.
In the main part of the book the author takes the reader through a structured way of creating data visualisation using a ‘storyboard’. This also includes a discussion on how to use colour and text, and the use of interactive features to allow for dynamic updates to the visualisation.
The book closes with some examples of real data visualisations, pitfalls for newbies and some further resources. More examples would have helped, as there were not many visualisation ideas that amazed or surprised me.
In summary, a good place to start if you are involved in capturing information with a view of presenting it to various audiences, but still leaves plenty of room for you to apply your own imagination.
Reviewed by Mehmet Hurer MBCS CITP CEng
November 27, 2021
This was an interesting book.
It did have really good tips on how to develop data visualizations.
It also, however, had some pretty major fallacies:
- it was extremely outdated. MySpace and BlackBerry was heavily featured, just to name a few.
- it did not mention accessibility once. It is imperative that we develop visualizations that are accessible to all audiences.
- it wasn't... pretty. All the graphs were very "early 2010s"
Still a good read. Got some good notes here and there.
3.1/5
It did have really good tips on how to develop data visualizations.
It also, however, had some pretty major fallacies:
- it was extremely outdated. MySpace and BlackBerry was heavily featured, just to name a few.
- it did not mention accessibility once. It is imperative that we develop visualizations that are accessible to all audiences.
- it wasn't... pretty. All the graphs were very "early 2010s"
Still a good read. Got some good notes here and there.
3.1/5
July 15, 2017
Not a technical book. Some useful pointers on what a dashboard should do and not do, have and not have. The content was too simple for me. Don't expect very fanciful visualisation techniques to be covered in this book.
May 17, 2018
A 2.5. The book is very general and doesn’t offer too many great insights but it does share a number of tools and resources that can be used to further explore the topic.
October 24, 2020
Its good for me. I learnt how to start with data viz. Thank you!
August 25, 2014
Good introduction to DataViz.
June 14, 2016
Relatively boring book. Some basics, but this was too dumbed down for me.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews