Using Data Visualization to Improve Decision Making
This past course I took with Brandman University for my school administrative credential dealt with data driven decision making. Part of that process was reviewing data from my school to create a school growth plan and visually representing the data for more efficient review and identification of needs. Although I am accustomed to data visualization and data discovery tools, I had never needed to create my own data visualization. Now that I have been through the process, I truly understand how powerful data visualization is to the improvement of decision making.
Humans are natural pattern detectors, and much more so with visual information. We process visual information exponentially faster than printed text, which is understandable considering our brains are designed to receive and process a visual world. Gutierrez (2014) states that 90% of information received by the brain is visual, we can process visual information in less than a tenth of a second, and our brains can pick up on visual information that it saw for only 13 milliseconds.
Studies and business application show that data visualization improves decision making in various ways. A study by the Aberdeen Group (White, 2013) indicated remarkable improvement when businesses utilized data discovery tools, software that allows individual users to interact and manipulate data. Organizational members were 22% more likely to initiate projects and drive solutions, and 48% of users were able to access information without the assistance of IT staff (White, 2013). Additionally, 74% of organizations reported data discovery tools allowed the organization to make changes to their analytic environment, and managers of companies that utilize data discovery tools were 47% more likely to share data through annotations, charts, and reports (White, 2013).
Gentile (2014) and Gutierrez (2014) discuss the various ways data visualization improves decision making, which essentially boils down to this: appeal, patterns, language, interaction, and speed. Data visualization represents the data graphically or pictorially, so the information becomes more narrative. It also allows the brain to digest the information much more quickly than in text form, so trends can be quickly identified and acted upon. Data discovery tools allow users to interact with and manipulate data, again making data decision making quicker and more relational.
Overall, I'm sold on data visualization. As a future administrator, I will make every effort to utilize these tools to empower my staff and our data driven decision making.
Humans are natural pattern detectors, and much more so with visual information. We process visual information exponentially faster than printed text, which is understandable considering our brains are designed to receive and process a visual world. Gutierrez (2014) states that 90% of information received by the brain is visual, we can process visual information in less than a tenth of a second, and our brains can pick up on visual information that it saw for only 13 milliseconds.
Studies and business application show that data visualization improves decision making in various ways. A study by the Aberdeen Group (White, 2013) indicated remarkable improvement when businesses utilized data discovery tools, software that allows individual users to interact and manipulate data. Organizational members were 22% more likely to initiate projects and drive solutions, and 48% of users were able to access information without the assistance of IT staff (White, 2013). Additionally, 74% of organizations reported data discovery tools allowed the organization to make changes to their analytic environment, and managers of companies that utilize data discovery tools were 47% more likely to share data through annotations, charts, and reports (White, 2013).
Gentile (2014) and Gutierrez (2014) discuss the various ways data visualization improves decision making, which essentially boils down to this: appeal, patterns, language, interaction, and speed. Data visualization represents the data graphically or pictorially, so the information becomes more narrative. It also allows the brain to digest the information much more quickly than in text form, so trends can be quickly identified and acted upon. Data discovery tools allow users to interact with and manipulate data, again making data decision making quicker and more relational.
Overall, I'm sold on data visualization. As a future administrator, I will make every effort to utilize these tools to empower my staff and our data driven decision making.
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