graphical representation of data Data Visualisation graphical representation of data CONTRACTOR IS ACTING UNDER A FRAMEWORK CONTRACT CONCLUDED WITH THE COMMISSION Iraj Namdarian Luxumbourg – 28/11/2014

Session overview Data Visualisation The graphical representation of data Challenges to presentation of quality graphics MS Excel: Conditional formatting; Graphs & Charts Visualization examples, and practice going from data to chart

Challenges to presentation of quality graphics

What is a graph? A Graph is a visual display of data which can communicate facts and figures quickly. Graphs are used To compare pieces of data – such as sales figures for a certain time period compared to another

What is a graph? When you create a chart you make a series of decisions (consciously or otherwise). You decide on the chart type, chart colour, etc. What is the starting point of it all? You create a chart from raw data with a purpose. Your purpose can be the following: To share information, or To prove or disprove something

Making a Chart: A 4 Step Process 1. What is your key message? 2. Do you really need a chart to support your key message? 3. Which chart type should you use? 4. How should you design your chart?

Making a Chart: A 4 Step Process To make a good graph, you need to know the following: Know what your key message is. Know what point you are trying to make/prove/disprove with the help of your chart. Do not have more than one key message for every chart. Two is just too many. You should write down the key message on your slide header. You can also write it in a box near the chart. Make sure it is clearly visible and readable.

When should you use a chart? Before making the chart, ask yourself this question. “What value do I add when I present this raw data in the form of a chart?” What happens if you just presented the raw data in the form of a table? If your chart does not add any value and does not fulfil any of the four objectives above, do not make it.

Use charts only when you have more than one data point Never make a chart with one data point. A chart which has one bar or a pie which has one number does not make much sense. In these cases, try some other option.

What are the alternatives to a chart? You have decided that chart is not a good medium to deliver your key message. In that case you have the following options. 1. Create a table 2. Simply type out the data on the slide 3. Make an infographic

What are the alternatives to a chart? Infographic: This is a very unique and interesting way of presenting information. 16.7% of the world population lives is India. How do you present this information? Because you have one data point, you should not use a chart. How about this?

Which chart type should you use? Which chart type to use depends on what you are doing with your data. So instead of worrying about 74 chart types, answer the following question: What are you doing with your raw data?

Which chart type should you use? Which chart type to use depends on what you are doing with your data. So instead of worrying about 74 chart types, answer the following question: What are you doing with your raw data? You can do the following: Compare data Break data into smaller parts to see what it is composed of See data over time

Which chart type should you use? Compare data Break up data into parts See data over time A D B E F C

Which chart type should you use? Compare data Bar graphs: column (vertical) and horizontal. Break up data into parts Pie charts, stacked bar graphs and normal bar graphs See data over time Line graphs, area graphs and bar charts Break data into parts and compare the sub-parts Pie charts Comparing data over time Bar Graph or Line Graph Break down parts of data and see over time Stacked bar graph and stacked area graphs

MS Excel: Conditional formatting; Graphs & Charts

Excel: Conditional formatting A conditional format changes a cell’s formatting when its contents match a specified condition. It can be used to: Highlight cells based on their values Add data bars that graph relative values in a range Highlight duplicate values in a column of data Imagine you have a spreadsheet with thousands of rows of data. It would be extremely difficult to see patterns and trends just from examining the raw data. Excel gives us several tools that will make this task easier. One of these tools is called conditional formatting. With conditional formatting, you can apply formatting to one or more cells based on the value of the cell. You can highlight interesting or unusual cell values, and visualize the data using formatting such as colours, icons, and data bars.

Excel: Conditional formatting

Excel: Conditional formatting Data Bars are horizontal bars added to each cell, much like a bar graph.

Excel: Conditional formatting Colour Scales change the colour of each cell based on its value. Each colour scale uses a two- or three-color gradient.

Excel: Conditional formatting Icon Sets add a specific icon to each cell based on its value.

Excel: Conditional formatting To remove conditional formatting rules: Select the cells that have conditional formatting. In the Home tab, click the Conditional Formatting command. A drop-down menu will appear. Select Clear Rules. A menu will appear. You can choose to clear rules from the Selected Cells, Entire Sheet, This Table, or This PivotTable.

Excel: Conditional formatting To remove conditional formatting rules:

Excel: creating a chart To create a chart: Select the cells you want to chart, including the column titles and row labels. These cells will be the source data for the chart. Click the Insert tab. In the Charts group, select the desired chart category. Select the desired chart type from the drop-down menu

Excel: creating a chart

Excel: creating a chart Chart tools

Excel: creating a chart Chart area Excel: creating a chart

Excel: creating a chart Format chart area

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