Data Formatting and Interpretation
The purpose of interactive data visualization is to visually and interactively present data so that it is easy to comprehend. Thus, naturally, data is the most important factor of any visualization. Hence, the first phase of data visualization is understanding the data in front of you – understanding what it is, what it means, and what it's conveying. Only when you understand the data will you be able to design a visualization that will help others understand it.
Additionally, it is important to ensure that your data makes sense and contains enough information – be it categorical, numerical, or a mix of both – to be visualized. So, if you are dealing with erroneous or dirty data, you're bound to end up with a faulty visualization.
In the next section, we'll look at a few ways to avoid common mistakes that are typically made in this phase of data and how to avoid them.
