“There are two goals when presenting data: convey your story and establish credibility” – Edward Tufte
Referring to the quote above, it is clear that the quintessence of data is to convey facts and ideas, with aim of establishing and sustaining reliability and authority. This obviously means that data visualization is of critical importance, and one of the ways to clearly and easily do so is by depicting the data through flowcharts. Simply put, data visualization is a technique that communicates understandings from collected data, through a visual aid. The main aim for doing so would be to extract large portions of data segments and display them through graphics, such as flowcharts, for easy comprehension of even the most complex connection within the said data. This is also known as information visualization, and flowcharts perform this function extremely well. The fact is that post collected, processing, collating and analyzing data, it is necessary for the conclusions to be comprehensible and easily understood, and using flowcharts is a fast, flexible, and versatile way to comprehend data and its analysis.
Flowcharts enable the identification, manipulation, formatting, and presentation of the data in the most efficient and usable ways possible. Maps, pie charts, and graphs have been around for a while as tools to pictorially represent data, and flowcharts are a step ahead since they are easy to create both manually and through online software. The number of templates available to create flowcharts makes it easier for the visualization and elucidation of data. As technology has progressed, data visualization has become more commonplace, especially since data processing is now possible at an unprecedented pace. It has gradually turned into a science, capable of changing the corporate scenario in an unprecedented and positive manner. With companies expanding globally, the amount of data they need to manage can become overwhelming and even unusable without data visualization and tools such as flowcharts to do so.
In the past even the best and largest companies were challenged and even intimidated by big data. However, data visualization has eased out and alleviated a number of the tests. Flowcharts are graphically in nature, and since the human brain is wired to process visual information faster, the large amounts of complex information and statistics becomes a lot easier to absorb and retain, as compared to boring spreadsheets and tedious multi-page reports. Data visualization through flowcharts is a swift, easy, and comprehensible way to put forth concepts and ideas, such that they are universally understood. In addition, since flowcharts can be easily amended and adjusted, data visualization is possible using different scenarios.
Through the use of flowcharts for data visualization, it becomes easier to pinpoint and rectify areas that need attention / improvement / or become obsolete. Flowcharts help companies understand and focus on factors that positively influence the behavior of customers and also an understanding of the placement of the most appropriate products in the right places. In addition, predicting sales volumes are also easily predicted using the visualization of the data through flowcharts. By capturing and elucidating data through this visual aid, it becomes a means to share it with those who may not be privy to the information first hand, but would benefit by using the flowcharts that capture the data.
We have mentioned earlier that despite being a relatively easy tool, flowcharts can very likely trip up even the most proficient creators. Hence, proper data visualization may not be as easy as it may sound, and creators must choose the most effective flowchart type to clearly communicate insights. The wrong type of diagram or one with flaws could reduce the value of the data and even abstruse the intended meaning.
It is important to know what the purpose of the data is and what its intended purpose could be for the future. For example, if the data is meant to show a comparison, the flowchart should be created in a way that data points are placed in parallel to make the comparison easier. The flowchart should depict several items at a given point in time, the changes over a period of time to one item and even display progress across items over time. A diagram can also depict the range and density of several data points as part of the visualization exercise. This depiction can help to illustrate and understand trends, and instances that visibly fall outside of patterns and ‘behaviors’. Flowcharts can combine several data points and present a global and comprehensive picture of trends and patterns.
The fact is that flowcharts are an extremely useful tool to show correlation between process steps, data points, and individual components. The data visualization through flowcharts leads to an elevated understanding of what can help, what needs to be removed, what needs action, and other such elements. However, several data points and the complexity of the data could make data visualization tough and the analysis even tougher. Several flowcharts may be required to gain an understanding – but it would be wise to remain cautious and vigilant while creating these diagrams, and refrain from being too ambitious. It would be wise to illustrate one data trend per chart and later combine them for a holistic view. The good news is that irrespective of the size or industry of a company or the kind of business, data visualization helps to piece together all the data to make sense of it, and use it to benefit their business.
The graphical illustration of business intelligence and information is a great way to save time, while providing a clear and concise roadmap that helps businesses make intelligent decisions and wise conclusions from the information. The fact is that data visualization is a faster and more efficient way to analyze information, enabling businesses to become adept at addressing their problems in a more timely and effective manner. Using such a visually impactful tool makes the analysis of data and the exercise of problem solving engaging and helps to get the message across to others faster.
Research shows that people will spend a lot more on advertising and online data by the year 2020. This effectively means that companies must keep close tabs on how their business is performing, what kind of engagement and revenue are being generated from their websites, apps, online content, and other online presence. Data visualization through flowcharts is an easy way to see the traffic on the website, number of users of the apps, the changes in patterns and customer behavior, and other such critical pieces of information, which in turn can help a company ramp up its marketing efforts. Is your company using data visualization to forward the cause of its business?
