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Information visualisation 0:27

A 27-second explainer of Information visualisation, narrated over the same demo you can try yourself.

The Information visualisation explainer. Prefer to do it yourself? Try the interactive demo.

Try the interactive Information visualisation demo

What this video covers

Information visualisation is the practice of turning data into visual form - charts, graphs, maps, diagrams - so that patterns, comparisons and trends become visible at a glance. It works by mapping numbers to visual properties the eye reads instantly (position, length, colour, size), letting people see in a moment what a table of figures would take minutes to work out.

In the table, the pattern was buried - you'd have to read every number and do the maths in your head. As a chart, the same data shows its trend (and that one outlier) at a glance. That's information visualisation: mapping numbers to things the eye reads instantly. Just pick the right chart for the question, and keep it honest - the same power that reveals a pattern can fake one.

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