Published in October 2022
Defining Data Visualisation
- Reflection
Dispute in definitions
Given the growing multitude of inter-disciplinary practitioners and the wide variety of work produced by them, it’s no surprise that the definition of data visualisation is in flux. Different groups emphasise what matters to them & to their audience. Some focus on the visual & aesthetic nature of the work while others treat visualisations as a purely cognitive tool, as outlined by Steven Braun in his paper [1]. A dispute in definitions is a sign of a field undergoing a creative boom and I would love to add my own to the mix.
My definition
The majority of information graphics, for instance, are shaped by the disciplines from which they have sprung: statistics, empirical sciences, and business. Can these graphic languages serve humanistic fields where interpretation, ambiguity, inference, and qualitative judgment take priority over quantitative statements and presentations of “facts”?
The essence of data visualisation, I contend, is neither about data nor visualisation.
It's not about data
A visualisation should be driven not by the available data but by the surrounding context of the people and their stories. By losing sight of the context, a practitioner is at the risk of ignoring non-quantitative sources of information and its potential to add colour & richness to a visualisation. Devoid of a narrative, a visualisation becomes flat & loses its capacity to invoke empathy. Data is a means to an end & is only as valuable as its ability to answer our questions about our world.
It’s not about visualisation
We navigate and understand the world through all our senses & not just the visual sense. An over emphasis on visualisation takes away other means of making data concrete & accessible to all our senses. The ambiguous, sensory, and emotional nature of the human experience compels us to look beyond objective & visual representation of data. While valuable and appealing to the eye, an over emphasis on the visual sense limits the work to flat forms devoid of material or space and a stunted notion of interactivity. A multi-sensory approach holds the potential to create visceral, intriguing, and more memorable experiences.
So, here is my two penny definition of data visualisation: A humanistic approach to understanding & narrating stories seen through the lens of data that encourages sense-making through multi-sensory & transmedia experiences.