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A survey of powerful visualization techniques, from the obvious to the obscure.

BY JeffRe Y heeR, michaeL BostocK, anD VaDim oGieVetsKY a tour through the Visualization zoo

ThAnKs To ADVAnCes in sensing, networking, and data management, our society is producing digital information at an astonishing rate. According to one estimate, in 2010 alone we will generate 1,200 exabytes— 60 million times the content of the Library of Congress. Within this deluge of data lies a wealth

 

of valuable information on how we conduct our businesses, governments, and personal lives. To put the information to good use, we must find ways to explore, relate, and communicate the data meaningfully.

The goal of visualization is to aid our
understanding of data by leveraging the
human visual system’s highly tuned
ability to see patterns, spot trends, and
identify outliers. Well-designed visual
representations can replace cognitive
calculations with simple perceptual in-
ferences and improve comprehension,
memory, and decision making. By mak-
ing data more accessible and appeal-
ing, visual representations may also
help engage more diverse audiences in
exploration and analysis. The challenge
is to create effective and engaging visu-
alizations that are appropriate to the
data.