In this day and age, data is the key to success in almost everything we do. Modern societies revolve around collecting, distributing, and interpreting data, whether in day-to-day life or on a global scale. Not many decisions (not many smart ones, at least) are made without being informed by data. The ability to interpret and understand data is a skill, especially if you can turn that understanding into information. An example of this can be when you’re shopping at your local grocery store and see a special tag. You’ve now been informed that you will save money if you buy it today. This means you can save a per cent off your shop that you wouldn’t have known about if not for the visual guide.
This might not seem significant to many, but this is the fundamental idea of data visualisation. The saving you got for your Oat Milk was driven by data, which was turned into a simple visual guide. This information was passed onto you, “the consumer”. This led to you making an informed decision then, with all this knowledge, you knew you would be able to afford the fancy milk.
Suppose you have stuck with me through this analogy; congratulations! You now have a small understanding of the power of data in this day and age. If you wish to continue learning about the power of data, please feel free to follow this blog or any other blogs by my fellow consultants at The Data School! All of us will be exploring the world of data and writing about our experiences. Ranging from Tableau to Alteryx, Best practices and how-to tutorials, with much more in between!