Data Analytics & Visualization All-in-One For Dummies

Introduction

Everywhere you go in the business world, you are likely to encounter executives who make decisions driven by tidbits of raw data that together tell a meaningful story. In fact, in our everyday worlds, websites and mobile apps express data using powerful visualizations to explain complex numbers and concepts, not extensive written passages anymore. The phrase “a picture speaks a thousand words” rings true in the world of data analytics and visualization, and for good reason.

Data analytics and visualization allow anyone to turn raw data into meaningful stories and insights. You, as the analyst, act as the detective. Instead of having to solve a mystery with clues, you are provided datasets that, if provided with enough clarity, can answer complex questions using trend and pattern analysis. If you review a dataset enough, you’ll inevitably have an ah-ha moment in your interpretation quest, but if the dataset can be presented visually, you can accelerate your understanding like a racecar going from 0 to 100 miles per hour in seconds.

Data analytics and visualization help you uncover creative ways to showcase data in a manner that is both informative and engaging. Data often starts out as nothing more than a bunch of jumbled numbers; turning those numbers into a story that can influence decisions and drive change is incredibly powerful. Global enterprises rely on folks who have the skills you are about to embark on in this book as a way to determine business strategies, ...