Data Visualization Techniques

A picture is worth a thousand words – especially when you are trying to find relationships and understand your data – which could include thousands or even millions of variables. To create meaningful visuals of your data, there are some basic tips and techniques you should consider. Data size and composition play an important role when selecting graphs to represent your data.

This paper, filled with graphics and explanations, discusses some of the basic issues concerning data visualization and provides suggestions for addressing those issues. From there, it moves on to the topic of big data and discusses those challenges and potential solutions as well. It also includes a section on SAS^® Visual Analytics, software that was created especially for quickly visualizing very large amounts of data. Autocharting and "what does it mean" balloons can help even novice users create and interact with graphics that can help them understand and derive the most value from their data.