Importance of data visualization

Originally published January 22, 2020. Updated March 26, 2020
Ole Dyring
Ole Dyring
1 min read
TopBlogImage

Short attention spans are killing productivity and affecting business decisions ever made and those yet to be made. So how can you spot it?

Data visualization can help. Since TARGIT's inception, we have has had the pleasure of helping our customers to improve their data visualization and has been key to help organizations be more successful. 

What is the goldfish effect?

 
The goldfish effect is used to describe people's short attention spans. Goldfish are said to have an attention span longer than human beings. That's right, folks, we have shorter attention spans than a goldfish. So think about how this translate to the business world where you need to concentrate and focus on tons of information to gain insight to make the best possible decision.
 
So now we know we only have few seconds to digest tons of information - which is key to gain business insight, it's crucial to view the information in the best possible way. Today though, we still rely on information in the form of tables and crosstabs to analyze our data. When we onboard new customers, we see that 90% of the time they gravitate toward table and crosstabs when building and presenting analytics.
 
But this reporting practice makes the decision process just harder because it adds more work that leads to the commonly known "Spreadsheet Syndrome":
  1. Problem
  2. Solution: Spreadsheet
  3. Another problem
  4. Solution: Bigger spreadsheet.
  5. Go to #1

Don't worry, the cure is withing reach!

Data visualization: Come to the rescue

 
Visualization has been helping humans identify trends and patterns since primitive times. Modern-day data visualizations have the same guiding power. Creating effective data visualizations will allow you to draw insight quicker than staring at never-ending columns and rows, plus, it will be easier for you to take decisive action.

Visualization tips & tricks

WATCH WEBINAR
Originally published April 28, 2014. Updated March 26, 2020

Ole Dyring
Written by

Ole Dyring

Head of TARGIT University