Data visualization steps

Data visualization is the representation of information and data in a visual format such as charts, graphs, maps, etc. Data visualization makes it easier for people to quickly understand complex ideas in data and can give us a quick “at-a-glance” understanding of trends or patterns.

In state government, we often use data visualization in reports, slides, and dashboards to highlight points or trends in our data for informational and decision-making purposes. Good data visualization should help people find insights and make discoveries about data. Poor data visualization can confuse, mislead, or make it difficult for people to use them effectively.

These guidelines outline the steps we can take to design clear and informative data visualizations that are accessible to everybody.

This section of the guidelines walks through the steps for creating data visualizations.

Table of Contents

  1. Define your goal
  2. Know your audience
  3. Identify the data you want to highlight
  4. Match your story with a chart type
  5. Choose a software program
  6. Design your visualization