AI buzzwords come and go, new machine learning trends explode and fizzle out, but some things stay consistent—and one of those is the storytelling power of a good data visualization.
Presenting data-backed insights through visual media remains a core skill for data professionals, and we love exploring the nitty-gritty details that make charts, plots, and infographics click. We find it equally valuable to dig into fundamental building blocks as it is to keep up with recent tools and novel approaches. This week, we present some excellent articles covering the entire spectrum between these poles: if you were planning to deepen and expand your visualization skills in 2024, you’re in the right place. Let’s kick things off.
- Visualisation 101: Choosing the Best Visualisation Type
A strong foundation in design strategy is key when it comes to creating effective visuals. Mariya Mansurova’s primer—on the different use cases for data viz, and how to adapt your approach depending on your end goals—is as solid a resource as you’ll find if you’re taking your first steps in this domain. - Declarative vs. Imperative Plotting
The path from a gorgeous vision in your head to the final product on your screen is filled with numerous intermediary steps, many (if not most) of which come in the form of code. Lee Vaughan’s explainer on how plotting works in Python is an essential read for anyone who’d like to understand how visualization tools look under the hood—and how to choose the right one accordingly.
- Visualizing Everest Expeditions
For a generous dose of visualization inspiration, don’t miss Karla Hernandez’s step-by-step tutorial, which guides us through the entire process of creating a sleek, multi-layered, and highly effective infographic. The topic at hand might be mountaineering, but the principles Karla outlines are valuable regardless of the project you’re working on. - Visualizing Routes on Interactive Maps with Python: Part 1
Apps like Google Maps have been ubiquitous for such a long time that we almost take them for granted; Carlos J. Uribe’s hands-on guide underlines the complexity behind creating maps, but also shows that visualizing rich geospatial data is within reach if you use the right tools in a streamlined manner.