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Data is all around us in the digital age, and when it comes to analysis, there’s no shortage of information to leverage. However, with so much data available, it can be challenging for businesses of all shapes and sizes to make sense of it all. It’s little wonder data visualisation tools have become so popular.
Modern data visualisation tools like Microsoft Power Bi have had a significant impact on the way businesses understand data. It’s a vital tool for making sense of it all, and can drive decision-making, shape future strategies and campaigns and help businesses identify both current and emerging trends and patterns that may not be apparent when looking at raw data – simply by presenting the information in an interactive, visually immersive format.
As a result, data visualisation tools are increasingly being employed by organisations to identify opportunities for growth, highlight areas of their business requiring improvement and ultimately assist in optimising performance, nurturing growth and perhaps most important, ensuring success.
So what is data visualisation? And how do you choose the right data visualisation tools for your business?
What is Data Visualisation?
As the name suggests, data visualisation is the visualisation of information through graphs, maps, charts and other visual aids. Doing so allows data leaders to showcase complex information in a more effective and understandable manner, which allows key stakeholders and managers to better comprehend both emerging and current patterns, trends and relationships.
Why is Data Visualisation important?
Data visualisation has had a profound impact on the way businesses make decisions as well as the ways in which we make judgements and implement future strategies and campaigns. Through the use of innovative data visualisation tools, businesses of all shapes and sizes have the opportunity to quickly comprehend enormous data sets in a more interesting and eye-catching way. In a nutshell, ditching boring spreadsheets in favour of visual aids is allowing employees to unearth fresh insights and make wiser, more informed decisions. This is because the visualisation of data is easier to interpret and analyse than more traditional mediums.
The right data visualisation tools can…
Communicate data more effectively
Data visualisation is a useful tool for deciphering and analysing data. In fact, it can help to communicate complex data more effectively by representing information in visually appealing charts and graphs. This is because using a visual aid makes it easier to spot patterns and trends that might not be obvious in raw data. As a result, utilising data visualisation tools such as Microsoft Power BI can streamline the decision-making process in your business by unearthing deeper, more comprehensive insights in a way that is easier for your employees and stakeholders to comprehend – this is especially important when several parties from across an organisation are involved in a decision-making process.
Highlights areas requiring improvement
Employing the right data visualisation tools can also help your business highlight areas that require improvement. For example, you can use an interactive dashboard as a tool to monitor data in real-time using an intuitive, not to mention innovative, visual depiction of relevant data points such as key performance indicators (KPIs).
As a result, data visualisation tools can make it possible to quickly identify potential opportunities as well as spot problem areas within your business that require consideration, such as data silos or a decrease in productivity. This kind of continuous monitoring makes it possible for businesses to identify both issues and possibilities that aren’t immediately obvious, which gives key decision-makers and stakeholders more information with valuable insights that can shape future strategies and campaigns.
Choosing the best data visualisation tools
Choosing the data visualisation tools for your business is crucial for successful analysis. The data leaders employed within your organisation need to be using the right charts and graphs as well as paying close attention to the design. It’s also important to have a thorough understanding of your target audience and their needs. After all, there is little point in visualising data in a way that your employees and/or end-users cannot understand.
Of course, there is no single one size fits all data visualisation solution that is best for all types of businesses. When choosing the best data visualisation tools for your business, make sure you factor in…
Flexibility and ease of use
In this day and age, businesses of all shapes and sizes need room to flourish and grow. This means when it comes to your data visualisation tools, you’re going to need scalable IT infrastructure that can grow with your business. It’s also important to consider your employees by ensuring you choose a platform that is easy to use and understand. Doing so will allow non-technical users to spot emerging patterns and trends in your data with ease.
Integration
When it comes to data visualisation, data silos can harm the productivity of your business and make it hard for your employees to work together in harmony. This is why modern businesses require a certain level of collaboration within their departments. It’s also why it’s so important to choose a data visualisation tool that has an integrated dashboard which will enhance collaboration and growth, not inhibit it.
Final thoughts
In this day and age, businesses of all shapes and sizes have access to massive swathes of data from many sources – however, this can make it challenging to unearth the insights that are actually useful. As a result, it should come as little surprise that data visualisation tools have grown so popular with large and small organisations alike, particularly in the last decade. After all, data visualisation tools provide us with a simple yet efficient means of understanding the vast amounts of data at hand and easily spot hidden patterns and trends that might not be immediately visible in raw data.
It should come as no surprise that data visualisation tools are altering the way we see, discover, and interpret information. So how does one find the right data visualisation tools for their business? The answer lies in choosing the platform that best aligns with the objectives of your organisation.
