What is the purpose of data visualization?

The purpose of data visualisation is to simplify complex data sets, making them easier to understand and interpret.

Data visualisation is a graphical representation of information and data. It uses visual elements like charts, graphs, and maps to provide an accessible way to see and understand trends, outliers, and patterns in data. In the world of Big Data, data visualisation tools and technologies are essential to analyse massive amounts of information and make data-driven decisions.

The primary goal of data visualisation is to make it simpler to identify patterns, trends and outliers in large data sets. Visual elements, including colour, form, and movement, are used to represent data, which would be much more challenging to understand in raw, numerical form. For instance, a bar chart can quickly show which items are the highest or lowest, while a scatter plot can reveal any correlations or relationships between variables.

Data visualisation also aids in storytelling, making data more accessible and useful to all users, regardless of their technical ability or background. It can help to explain the significance of data in a visual context, making it easier to understand difficult concepts or identify new patterns. For example, a map of a country colour-coded by population density can provide a clear and immediate understanding of population distribution.

Moreover, data visualisation can help to identify areas that need attention or improvement, clarify which factors influence customer behaviour, understand how changes in variables are related, and predict sales volumes. It can also help to make the data more memorable for the audience by engaging their visual senses.

In the field of computer science, data visualisation is a powerful tool. It can help to debug code, understand algorithms, or analyse system performance. For example, a visualisation of an algorithm can help to understand how it works, identify any issues, and optimise its performance.

In conclusion, data visualisation is a crucial tool in today's data-driven world. It simplifies complex data sets, making them easier to understand and interpret, and aids in data-driven decision making.