Impactful Data Visualization: Hide and Seek with Graphs

by Kavitha Ranganathan

There is scarcely a role that does not require us to understand, analyse and present data. Charts, graphs and maps are everywhere. However, many of these data visuals leave the viewer bewildered, confused or (even worse) with an incorrect understanding of the data. In contrast, if designed well, data visualizations help us make sense of data and communicate our insights better.Bringing a clear classroom teaching style, which has helped hundreds of data wranglers, to this book, the author walks you through the myriad ways that graphs can mislead, helping to spot visualization traps and prevent misinterpretations. She illustrates core design principles for creating truthful and effective data visualizations, assisting you to master the art and science behind creating impactful and accurate graphs.Packed with examples to clearly explain the dos and don’ts of data visualization and backed by empirical research, this book will transform the way you create and analyse graphs and charts.

Genres: Nonfiction

197 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 25, 2022

Reviews

[Ekta M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you someone who needs to regularly present graphical data be it in reports, presentations or dashboards then you need to check this book out.


Genre - Non Fiction / Business
Pages - 162
Ebook available
Age group 13+

Published in Penguin Business by @penguinindia

Graphs and Charts are a good and quick way to present data. They are easily understood when it comes to presenting a comparison or trend.

This book is a good attempt by the author to alert us about the ways in which data can be misrepresented or misinterpreted. This book explains the art and science involved in creating accurate data visualizations.

📌In simple words, this book shows us how to avoid misleading graphs and create effective and intuitive Visualizations.
It alerts us on both types of graphs - an ineffective graph and a misleading one.

The author has shared a lot of examples which will educate us on how to identify and avoid misleading/ineffective graphs. Solutions to the same are also shared.
Everything is explained in a simple manner and hence reading becomes interesting.

📍What the book covers ?
- Basic Chart Types
- How to identify misleading/ineffective graphs
- Common mistakes in plotting data and their solutions
- Why not to use 3D charts
- Elements necessary to present an effective data story ( text, colour, patterns etc)
- What to avoid and what to include in the graphs
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#bookreview

This one was a good informative read. Today the audience of data visualization could be almost anyone. For eg - a cricket fan trying to understand the batting performance of their fav player.... so we need to be aware of the same. Like, everyone should have this basic information about ineffective/misleading graphs.
The author presents everything in an easy understandable manner. Its not a hard read. You can easily understand the content. It is fast paced read.

At the end of the book there is also practise exercise to check if you have understood the teachings. I loved doing the exercises.

Overall a good informative and educative read.

[Saumya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is apt for someone who has to show data, graphs, and presentations regularly at work, or for someone who is part of a research team & has to deal with data regularly.



Kavita Ranganathan, A faculty member at IIM-A (Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, of the best and most profound business Schools in India) pens a book on data visualization. her book draws an extensive and rich experience for her book, which circles back to the main principle for avoiding misled graphs & creating effective and intuitive visualization.



I am the type of person, who has never taken a keen interest in reading charts and graphs, ever. but as more and more I am getting into my field. I am learning the importance of it. It's hard to be a manager or run a business without collecting, analyzing, and reading data. Charts, graphs, and data are everywhere but are we using it properly? or are we simply misinterpreting the whole thing? If they are designed well, they help us to understand our insights better than ever, make strategies accordingly as well as communicate our insights better. There are many types of Charts present, to name a few at the top of my head, Bar, line, dot, cylinder. pie charts but are we using the correct format to visualize our data, are we using the correct type to showcase our data and communicate our insights better?

The author has thoughtfully tackled all the questions and explained them to the reader one by one with its importance.

I urge people who are either MBA aspirants or doing their Mba to go through this book. it is resourceful and have a great insights to learn from.

[Aditi Kalkal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to understand and serving its purpose well, this book has helped me grasp the art of carefully reading and interpreting information presented through graphs. Now, whenever I encounter a graph, my approach is structured: I start by reading the title, followed by understanding the x and y axes, including what they represent, their starting points, and the units used. Then, I look for any labels and proceed to analyze the main representation, and ofc a lot of other things to consider. It not only helped me in understanding how to read a graph but also how to create meaningful graphs representing unbiased information. Throughout the book, various biases in data representation are highlighted, some intentional and others unintentional. The book is filled with numerous examples and includes plenty of links for further exploration. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Mehul Manoharan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had the honour of learning the magic of data visualisation from the legend herself at IIM Ahmedabad.

Brilliantly worded and illustrated book with a tinge of amuse for all age groups.

A must read for all those love playing around data and its presentation.

[Madhan Babu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for anyone working in data visualisation domain.

Also suitable for general audiences who are curious to understand about how we are deceived by data.