Data Visualization as a "Discipline"

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A Harvard Business Review article reminds us to focus on our message when visualizing data. Author Scott Berinato suggests asking ourselves two questions to start: 

  • Is the information conceptual or data-driven?
  • Am I declaring something or exploring something?

Berinato then identifies four types of visual communication: idea illustration, idea generation, visual discovery, and everyday dataviz. For idea illustration, he offers a weak and an improved example. You'll notice that the first includes elements of "chart junk" that detract from the message.

Data Viz 1

Data Viz 2Discussion Starters: 

  • How does Berinato's second example illustrate principles from Chapter 9 in the text book? 
  • Consider a message you need to communicate. How does this article help you decide what visuals would support your points?