Topic 04: Introduction

to Data Visualisation

ICT601 Business Analytics

Dr Umera Imtinan and Dr Saeed Shariati
Resources for this topic
Required Reading:
Knaflic Cole Nussbaumer. 2015. ‘Storytelling with Data. Chapter 2.’
In Storytelling with Data, 35–69. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley &
Sons. This is available from the Topic 04 Readings link in Moodle.
Case Study:
‘ViaWest Business Intelligence (BI) Case Study.’ 26AD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXEgK-wD4gg
Learning outcomes

• At the completion of this topic, you should be able to:

• Explain the importance of visualisations in Business Analytics
• Create and use a variety of visualisations that are appropriate to the
purpose of the visualisation
• Critique a given visualisation and explain how it could be improved if
required
• This topic contributes to the following unit learning outcomes:
• ULO_02: Explain and give examples of the use of business analytics in
contemporary organisations
• ULO_03: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of a range of relevant
analytics tools and techniques
Lecture outline

• What is visualisation?
• Types of visualisation
• Line Graphs
• Bar Charts
• Other types of Charts
• Topic Summary

http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/
Topic 04: Part 01
What is Visualisation?
 What is visualisation?

“Technology has • A way to tell a story using graphics rather than

enabled us to amass words?
greater and greater • This raises some questions?
amounts of data and • Who is the audience?
there is an • Why are we telling them a story?
accompanying
• How do we know, or communicate that
growing desire to
make sense out of all the information is accurate and relevant
of this data.” (Knaflic,
2015, p.19)
 http://www.businessinsider.com
.au/travel-agents-vs-online-hote
l-bookings-2015-12
What is the story here?
 Stories

• The stories we tell with visualisations are for

“The purpose of… data
the purposes of:
visualizations is to
enlighten people – not to • Analysis
entertain them, not to sell • Communication
them products, services or • Monitoring
ideas, but to inform • Planning
them.” (Cairo, 2016, p.13)
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Analysis
Communication
Monitoring

http://vizwiz.blogspot.com.au/2014/12/donutc
harts.html
Planning
 Good visualisations…

Are:
“Good data visualization • Presenting reliable information
should both engage the
audience and improve
• Visually encoded so that relevant patterns
both the accuracy and the become noticeable
depth of their • Organised in a way that enables some
understanding.” exploration, if appropriate
https://www.datalabsagency.com/
2015/05/21/what-makes-for-great- • Presented in an attractive manner (but
data-visualization/
remembering that honesty, clarity, and
depth come first
Topic 04: Part 02
Types of Visualisation
 Types of visualisations…

The reading for this topic suggests there are

“There are many different several basic types of visualisation:
graphs and other types of
visual displays, but a
• Simple text
handful will work for the • Table
majority of our needs” • Points
(Knaflic, 2015, p.43) • Lines
• Bars
• Area
Simple Text

http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/20
12/06/power-of-simple-text?rq=simple%20text
Simple Text

http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/20
12/06/power-of-simple-text?rq=simple%20text
Tables
Iteration 1
Group Metric A Metric B Metric C
Group 1 $111 $234 $345
Group 2 $123 $345 $567
Group 3 $234 $567 $678
Group 4 $345 $678 $789
Group 5 $456 $789 $890
Iteration 2
Group Metric A Metric B Metric C
Group 1 $111 $234 $345
Group 2 $123 $345 $567
Group 3 $234 $567 $678
Group 4 $345 $678 $789
Group 5 $456 $789 $890

Iteration 3
Group Metric A Metric B Metric C
Group 1 $111 $234 $345
Group 2 $123 $345 $567
Group 3 $234 $567 $678
Group 4 $345 $678 $789
Group 5 $456 $789 $890
Heatmaps

Caption… Values above average

Group Metric A Metric B Metric C Group Metric A Metric B Metric C
Group 1 $111 $234 $345 Group 1 $111 $234 $345
Group 2 $123 $345 $567 Group 2 $123 $345 $567
Group 3 $234 $567 $678 Group 3 $234 $567 $678
Group 4 $345 $678 $789 Group 4 $345 $678 $789
Group 5 $456 $789 $890 Group 5 $456 $789 $890

Low … High
Group Metric A Metric B Metric C
Group 1 $111 $234 $345
Group 2 $123 $345 $567
Group 3 $234 $567 $678
Group 4 $345 $678 $789
Group 5 $456 $789 $890
Points
Topic 04: Part 03
Line Graphs
Lines
Line Graph Best Practices

• Lines should only be used to connect values along an interval scale

Line Graph Best Practices
• Lines should only be used to connect values along an
interval scale

http://www.perceptualedge.com/articles/visua
l_business_intelligence/line_graphs_and_irreg
ular_intervals.pdf
Line Graph Best Practices

• Lines should only be used to connect values along an interval scale

• Intervals should be equal in size
Line Graph Best Practices

• Lines should only be used to connect values along an interval scale

• Intervals should be equal in size

http://www.perceptualedge.com/articl
es/visual_business_intelligence/line_gr
aphs_and_irregular_intervals.pdf
Line Graph Best Practices

• Lines should only be used to connect values along an interval scale

• Intervals should be equal in size
• Lines should only connect values in adjacent intervals
Line Graph Best Practices

• Lines should only be used to connect values along an interval scale

• Intervals should be equal in size
• Lines should only connect values in adjacent intervals
Slopegraph

http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/blog/20
13/11/slopegraph-template
Topic 04: Part 04
Bar Charts
Bar charts
Grades
90
80
70
60
50 Grades

40
30
20
10
0
HD D C P SX N NA
Baseline

https://flowingdata.com/2014/04/04/fox-news
-bar-chart-gets-it-wrong/
8000000

7000000

6000000

5000000

4000000
Series1
3000000

2000000

1000000

0
27 March 31 March Goal
Right/left…
7200000
7000000
6800000
6600000
6400000
6200000
Series1
6000000
5800000
5600000 8000000
5400000
27 March 31 March Goal 7000000

Axis Title 6000000

5000000

4000000
Series1
3000000

2000000

1000000

0
27 March 31 March Goal
Goldilocks???
9000000
Too skinny 9000000
Too fat
8000000 8000000
7000000 7000000
6000000 6000000
5000000 5000000
4000000 4000000 Series1
Series1 3000000
3000000
2000000 2000000
1000000 1000000
0 0
27 31 4th April 11th 27 March 31 March 4th April 11th April
March March April Goal
Goal
9000000

8000000

7000000

6000000 Just right 

5000000

4000000 Series1

3000000

2000000

1000000

0
https://en.wikipedia.org/w 27 March 31 March Goal 4th April 11th April
iki/Goldilocks_principle
One, two, many…
9000000
8000000 10000000
9000000
7000000
8000000
6000000 7000000
5000000 6000000
4000000 2015 5000000 2015
2016 4000000 2016
3000000
3000000 2017
2000000
2000000
1000000 1000000
0 0
27 March 31 March 4th April 11th April 27 March 31 March 4th April 11th April
Goal Goal

10000000
9000000
8000000
7000000
6000000 27 March
5000000 31 March Goal
4000000 4th April
11th April
3000000
2000000
1000000
0
2015 2016 2017
Vertical or horizontal?
9000000
8000000
7000000
6000000
5000000
4000000 2015
2016
3000000
2000000
11th April
1000000
0
27 March 31 March 4th April 11th April
Goal 4th April

2016
31 March Goal 2015

27 March

0 00 00 00 00 00
0 0 0 0 0
00 00 00 00 00
20 40 60 80 10
0
Stacked
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50% 2016
2015
40%
30%
20%
18000000
10%
16000000
0%
27 March 31 March Goal 4th April 11th April 14000000

12000000

10000000
2016
8000000 2015
6000000

4000000

2000000

0
27 March 31 March Goal 4th April 11th April
Topic 04: Part 05
Other types of charts…
Pies…
2015 2015

27 March
27 March
31 March Goal
31 March Goal
4th April
4th April
11th April
11th April

2015

6000000
27 March
8500000 31 March Goal
4th April
11th April

7066000

8400000
Donuts…

6000000
8500000
27 March
31 March Goal
4th April
7066000 11th April

8400000

6000000
8500000
27 March
31 March Goal
4th April
7066000 11th April
8400000
3-D
9000000

8400000
8000000 8500000

7000000 7066000

6000000
6000000

5000000

4000000 2015
2016
3000000 2017

2000000

1000000

0
27 March
31 March Goal
4th April
11th April
Topic 04: Part 06
Topic Summary
What’s wrong with this chart?

http://www.storytellingwithdata.com/
Learning outcomes

• At the completion of this topic, you should be able to:

• Explain the importance of visualisations in Business Analytics
• Create and use a variety of visualisations that are appropriate to the
purpose of the visualisation
• Critique a given visualisation and explain how it could be improved if
required
• This topic contributes to the following unit learning outcomes:
• ULO_02: Explain and give examples of the use of business analytics in
contemporary organisations
• ULO_03: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of a range of relevant
analytics tools and techniques
Lecture outline

• What is visualisation?
• Types of visualisation
• Line Graphs
• Bar Charts
• Other types of Charts
• Topic Summary
Where to next?

• In the next topic we will explore Effective Visual Design in more detail