In the era of computers and the internet, it is hardly surprising that we are exposed to a startling amount of data on a daily basis. Most of the data is presented either in a clutter or in the forms of complicated graphs, pie charts, balloons and tables which would prove to be a challenge for the unprepared mind. To make things worse, an almost unlimited access to computers and the web has already set the tone for the exchange/sharing of a huge amount of information. If one is to tackle this problem efficiently, there need to be certain methods to sort out and arrange the information into a more organized pattern. Renowned journalist David McCandless acknowledges this problem in his TED talk and presents his viewers with a unique and practical approach towards mitigating the same.
To make sense of the myriad of information, start off with the obvious – Use our eyes more, but use it with purpose. The importance of this is laid bare in a study which shows that around 75% of the information entering our brains for processing is through the eyes. Evolution has designed eyes in such a way that it can detect patterns, colors and shapes ‘in the blink of an eye’. This would allow us to concentrate on the important aspects more and to put aside the frivolous information.
Context is extremely important when it comes to making sense out of data. The importance of this is made obvious by comparing and contrasting the absolute and relative figures. While an absolute figure shows the data as a whole, relative figures take into account a lot of factors and provide a more detailed analysis of the same. This brings to our attention an important point – Data without context can be misleading and may result in confusion.
Organized data may be made much more useful by building on a large database of information and converting it into an interactive application which sorts out and projects the information necessary for the user. This reflects positively on how a clutter of data may be organized and programmed into providing a lot of useful information if worked on in the right way.
Source : http://ed.ted.com/lessons/david-mccandless-the-beauty-of-data-visualization