Modern Data Visualization Tools and Training

Data visualization is vital in modern life. With enormous volumes of data all around us, we need ways to understand and interpret it easily.

Data visualization presents data in an image that we can grasp. Rather than having a data set in a difficult to interpret Google Sheet, it is displayed in a colorful and easy to digest pie chart or bar chart.

For example, the COVID pandemic saw advice to ‘flatten the curve’ in the early days of the outbreak. And as the pandemic wore on, we got used to seeing dashboards around infection rates.

Data is everywhere and used for everything from digital marketing to business intelligence. From helping our supermarkets stock the products we love, to assisting a data scientist in researching climate change. Data is used in apps that track our finance or fitness, and software that builds buyer personas or manages warehouse inventory.

So, we all need to understand data, and none more so than business leaders. A data visualization tool can be the way to take the raw data in hard-to-digest Microsoft Excel sheet and turn it into a beautifully presented graphic or interactive dashboard.

But, wherever there are numbers, there’s an expectation that they can be visualized in a chart or a graph.

Who uses data visualization tools?

Businesses today are striving to become truly data-driven and level up their data analysis. They want to base their decisions on solid evidence so their resources are put to best use, and they stay competitive.

Data visualization tools are essential to the modern data stacks companies are building (or buying) to fuel their efforts to become tech-forward. Visualization tools aren’t the preserve of data scientists but are used by those at every level of a business. Data is becoming accessible to all, empowering employees to make decisions within their role that benefit the whole company.

When data visualization is done well, managers are 28% more likely to find timely information using visual data recovery tools than those who rely on reports and dashboards. In addition to that, they are less likely to need I.T. support while finding the data they work with.In other words, data visualization speeds up decision-making and keeps costs down.

What is the value of using the latest visualization tool and completing regular training?

Like many areas of tech, data visualization is evolving rapidly. With Business Intelligence (BI) and Machine Learning at the center of any business, data visualization tools are becoming more advanced and user-savvy to serve the needs of their users. No longer are they left in the hands of a data scientist or data analyst, but instead, users can be in any department of a businsses.

Tools such as QlikView and Qlik Sense simplify data visualisation and present complex data in an easy-to-understand format. Users can learn how to interact with data so that they can discover answers to their questions.

Astrato offers Cloud BI for teams, bringing reliable insights to businesses. Working with a platform like ours helps your company remove data siloes, improve productivity and free up time to focus on what matters.

As data visualization tools evolve, businesses need to keep pace, or their competitors will outstrip them. The tools available will help you get more value from your data, even when datasets are large and highly complex, so it’s important to understand the capabilities on offer.

What training do you need to start visualizing your data?

Fortunately, you don’t need a data science or business analysis degree to learn data visualization. The whole point of the tech is that it’s easy to use, unlike the dashboards and spreadsheets of the past.

But you can optimize the results you get by improving your data viz skills. Start by taking a look at online resources and focus on developing in the following areas:

1. Becoming proficient with data visualization software
2. Understanding your data’s audience and purpose.
3. Learning how to choose the right visualization
4. Keeping the visualization clean: simple is better

What makes a good data viz tool?

There are many data visualization tools to choose from. When you’re looking for the right package, consider these questions to make sure you get the best solution for your business:

• Ease of use : data viz tools are intended to be used across the business, so choose an intuitive platform that’s easy to learn for widespread company adoption. A great example of this is Google Chart that is widely used by developers looking to create simple visualizations.
• Handling huge sets of data: Big Data is here to stay. Choose a tool that can handle all your data points. Don’t choose a tool that does not allow you to easily input information from your data source.
• Excellent documentation and tutorials: even the most straightforward tools take a bit of getting used to. Ensure everyone in the business can easily access materials that answer their queries and show the platform’s capabilities.
• Outputs an array of chart, graph, and map types: different datasets need different handling to convey their meaning. The best data visualization platforms will give you all the necessary visualizations, including options for both images and interactive graphs.
• Customization and ability to scale: Your data visualization platform needs to grow with your business-after all, it’s a tool to help your company achieve growth. Make sure the tool you choose has options that suit your needs now and is future-ready.
• Cost considerations: despite an incredible ROI of 13:1 , budget is still a consideration for some businesses. Choose a platform that fits your budget, but keep in mind that outgrowing your data viz software and having to upgrade is likely to be more costly in the long run.

Enable everyone to make live data decisions

In the world of big data, data visualization is essential in extracting, translating, and communicating data. It guides leaders and organizations in making tactical and strategic decisions that bring benefits to their businesses.

By staying on top of the latest trends, tools, and training in data viz, you can ensure your business gets the most value from your data. Employees across the business can use data visualization to see trends evolving in real-time and make decisions that lead to long-term growth.

Find out how your team can get great data visualizations. Book a free demo to try the Astrato platform today.

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