Data visualization is a method for converting abstract data into concrete information and possibly knowledge.

The exponential increase in data ensures that we can measure more and more and provide insight. You do this with the help of data visualization. For many people, however, data is an abstract given. Creating data visualizations ensures that we can convert data into tangible and readable data. But why do we want this, what exactly does it bring us, and how can we implement this?

As mentioned above, there is an enormous increase in available internal and external data. With the help of data, we can convey a message, and we do that with the help of data visualization.

Why is data visualization important?

Effective communication is essential when conveying a story or advice. It can easily happen that when conveying a story, the recipient misunderstands your message. Consider, for example, transferring a story via WhatsApp. We write a message, but it can easily be misunderstood.

How is it then that a face-to-face message is less often misunderstood? This has to do with expression, body language, and sounds. Consider, for example, a situation where you convey a sarcastic message. This is a lot easier face-to-face than via Whatsapp.

In short: in mutual communication, expression and sounds support the message you want to convey. So what created this visual and auditory way of thinking? Our early ancestors (around prehistoric times) were already visual and auditory. This originated as a survival mechanism, a way of estimating dangerous situations.

So it still applies to us that we are visually and audibly oriented. That is why it is good to communicate with the help of expression and sounds. We can convey a theory or advice in both ways. It works best when you combine both. This can be done by visualizing the data and then giving a face-to-face explanation of the visualization: storytelling.

Getting Started.

Before getting into data visualization with R, you need to make sure you have a fair understanding of how this programming language works.

In this tutorial, I will be using R Studio. So let’s get started.

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