One of the hardest steps in data visualization is choosing a visualization type. Should I use a bar chart or a line chart? How creative can I get with a pie chart? Does this visualization style tell my data narrative?
Choosing a visualization type becomes easier when you answer a few questions about your data and your goals.
- Always start with your data!
- How many variables are you trying to visualize
- How much data do you want to visualize? How dense is your data?
- What type of data is presented in your data sent? Is it quantitative or qualitative?
- How does the data I want to present relate to each other?
- Remember your narrative!
- What questions are you trying to answer with this visualization
- What story are you trying to tell?
If you can answer these questions, deciding on a visualization type becomes easier.
