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chapter one
the importance of
context
This may sound counterintuitive, but success in data visualization
does not start with data visualization. Rather, before you begin down
the path of creating a data visualization or communication, atten-
tion and time should be paid to understanding the
context
for the
need to communicate. In this chapter, we will focus on understand-
ing the important components of context and discuss some strate-
gies to help set you up for success when it comes to communicating
visually with data.
Exploratory vs. explanatory analysis
Before we get into the specifics of context, there is one important
distinction to draw, between
exploratory
and
explanatory
analysis.
Exploratory analysis is what you do to understand the data and figure
out what might be noteworthy or interesting to highlight to others.
When we do exploratory analysis, it’s like hunting for pearls in oysters.
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the importance of context
We might have to open 100 oysters (test 100 different hypotheses
or look at the data in 100 different ways) to find perhaps two pearls.
When we’re at the point of communicating our analysis to our audi-
ence, we really want to be in the
explanatory
space, meaning you
have a specific thing you want to explain, a specific story you want
to tell—probably about those two pearls.
Too often, people err and think it’s OK to show exploratory analysis
(simply present the data, all 100 oysters) when they should be show-
ing explanatory (taking the time to turn the data into information
that can be consumed by an audience: the two pearls). It is an under-
standable mistake. After undertaking an entire analysis, it can be
tempting to want to show your audience
everything,
as evidence of
all of the work you did and the robustness of the analysis. Resist this
urge. You are making your audience reopen all of the oysters! Con-
centrate on the pearls, the information your audience needs to know.
Here, we focus on
explanatory
analysis and communication.
Recommended reading
F
or those interested in learning more about
exploratory
analysis, check out Nathan Yau’s book,
Data Points.
Yau
focuses on data visualization as a medium, rather than a tool,
and spends a good portion of the book discussing the data
itself and strategies for exploring and analyzing it.
Who, what, and how
When it comes to explanatory analysis, there are a few things to think
about and be extremely clear on before visualizing any data or creat-
ing content. First,
To whom are you communicating?
It is important
to have a good understanding of who your audience is and how they
perceive you. This can help you to identify common ground that will
Who
21
help you ensure they hear your message. Second,
What do you want
your audience to know or do?
You should be clear how you want your
audience to act and take into account how you will communicate to
them and the overall tone that you want to set for your communication.
It’s only after you can concisely answer these first two questions that
you’re ready to move forward with the third:
How can you use data
to help make your point?
Let’s look at the context of who, what, and how in a little more detail.
Who
Your audience
The more specific you can be about who your audience is, the better
position you will be in for successful communication. Avoid general
audiences, such as “internal and external stakeholders” or “anyone
who might be interested”—by trying to communicate to too many
different people with disparate needs at once, you put yourself in a
position where you can’t communicate to any one of them as effec-
tively as you could if you narrowed your target audience. Sometimes
this means creating different communications for different audi-
ences. Identifying the decision maker is one way of narrowing your
audience. The more you know about your audience, the better posi-
tioned you’ll be to understand how to resonate with them and form
a communication that will meet their needs and yours.
You
It’s also helpful to think about the relationship that you have with
your audience and how you expect that they will perceive you. Will
you be encountering each other for the first time through this com-
munication, or do you have an established relationship? Do they
already trust you as an expert, or do you need to work to establish
credibility? These are important considerations when it comes to
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the importance of context
determining how to structure your communication and whether and
when to use data, and may impact the order and flow of the overall
story you aim to tell.
Recommended reading
I
n Nancy Duarte’s book
Resonate,
she recommends thinking
of your audience as the hero and outlines specific strategies
for getting to know your audience, segmenting your
audience, and creating common ground. A free multimedia
version of
Resonate
is available at
duarte.com.
What
Action
What do you need your audience to know or do?
This is the point
where you think through how to make what you communicate rel-
evant for your audience and form a clear understanding of why
they should care about what you say. You should always want your
audience to know or do something. If you can’t concisely articulate
that, you should revisit whether you need to communicate in the
first place.
This can be an uncomfortable space for many. Often, this discom-
fort seems to be driven by the belief that the audience knows better
than the presenter and therefore should choose whether and how
to act on the information presented. This assumption is false. If you
are the one analyzing and communicating the data,
you
likely know
it best—you are a subject matter expert. This puts you in a unique
position to interpret the data and help lead people to understanding
and action. In general, those communicating with data need to take
a more confident stance when it comes to making specific obser-
vations and recommendations based on their analysis. This will feel
outside of your comfort zone if you haven’t been routinely doing it.

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