16 Captivating Data Visualization Examples

Written by Ross Crooks | @rtcrooks

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Data can be very powerful. If you can actually understand what it's telling you, that is.

It's not easy to get clear takeaways by looking at a slew of numbers and stats. You've got to have the data presented in a logical, easy-to-understand way.

Enter data visualization. The human brain processes visual information better than it processes text -- so using charts, graphs, and design elements, data visualization can help you explain trends and stats much more easily.

But not all data visualization is created equal. (Just check out “Why Most People’s Charts and Graphs Look Like Crap” to see what I mean.)

So, how do organize data in a way that's both compelling and easy to digest? Get inspired by the following 16 examples of data visualization that communicate interesting information with both style and substance.

Click here to download our free guide to data visualization for more examples and tips. 

What is Data Visualization?

Data visualization refers to representing data in a visual context, like a chart or a map, to help people understand the significance of that data.

Whereas data in text form can be really confusing (not to mention bland), data represented in a visual format helps people extract meaning from that data much more quickly and easily. You can expose patterns, trends, and correlations that may otherwise go undetected.

Data visualization can be static or interactive. For centuries, people have been using static data visualization like charts and maps. Interactive data visualization is a little bit newer: It lets people drill down into the dirty details of these charts and graphs using their computers and mobile devices, and then interactively change which data they see and how it's processed.

Ready to feel inspired? Let's take a look at some great examples of interactive and static data visualization.

Examples of Interactive Data Visualization 

1) Why Buses Bunch

Here's a wonderful example of a complex data set boiled down into what that looks and feels like a game. In this visualization, the folks at Setosa are showing how "bus bunching" happens, i.e. when a bus gets delayed and later causes multiple buses to arrive at a single stop at the same time.

Telling this story in numbers alone would be pretty difficult, but instead, they turn it into an interactive game. While the buses rotate along a route, we can click and hold a button to delay a bus. Then, all we have to do is watch to see how even a short delay causes the buses to bunch together after a time.

2) Languages in the World

This interactive by DensityDesign does an impressive job of introducing the non-linguist (aka most of us) to the many world languages. All 2,678 of them.

This piece allows you to explore common languages families, see which languages are most spoken, and view where languages are spoken around the world. This is great visual storytelling: taking an in-depth subject and breaking it down in an easy-to-understand way. 

3) Percent of U.S. Population by Age Group

This is a strong example of how to present a single data set in a compelling way. Pew Research created this animated GIF composite to show shifts in population demographics over time. It’s a great way to tell a larger story in a neat package.

Plus, this type of micro-content is easy to share on social or embed in blogs, extending the content’s reach. If you want to make a GIF of your own using Photoshop, here's a step-by-step tutorial.

The secret lives of consumers revealed, in GIFs

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Neustar | December 4, 2014

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This week, we took a glimpse into Neustar’s vast data maw and, in doing so, looked directly into consumers’ souls. Well, nearly.

Everyone knows that the digital 1s and 0s at a marketer’s disposal is almost infinite. The problem isn’t getting enough data, it’s getting the right insights from that data. One way to do that is to overlap different data sets to pinpoint true marketing opportunities.

We did just that. Here’s what we found, illustrated in handy Venn Diagrams.

Life in the HOV lane

Who they are: Neustar’s consumer data showed that these body-conscious, type-A have-it-all’ers are, among other things, big Diet Coke drinkers: they roll large in luxury SUVs — preferring the Mercedes G-Class, Lexus Gx 470 and the BMW X5, — and clean out retailers like Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers and Babies”R”Us.

What it means: These are affluent people with little time for your brand message; they fast-forward through your television ads. In fact, our data shows these consumers are likely to leave the room during ads. Don’t try to sell them on Diet Coke in 30 second prime-time spots. Instead, brands should reach them with video ads at the gym or with direct and to-the-point search results.

Tosh.0 is my spirit animal

Who they are:  In addition to snowboarding, these extreme sportsbros love Atlantic City, hip-hop and fantasy football. And they’re probably managing their lives on at least one mobile device.

What it means: This group spends fast and early on technology: they buy new technology without hesitation and lead their friends in the gadget race. Forget Mountain Dew — it’s Samsung that should be handing out free swag at the X-Games.

Smackdowns in the suburbs

Who they are: These occasional yogis and devout recyclers — 20 percent higher than others, on average — are also in charge of the household shopping. And, they’re most likely to whip out their American Express card when picking up the toilet paper.

What it means: Curiously, at the intersection of this very practical trifecta sits an unlikely warrior: peek under the Lululemon hoodie, and you’ll find a TV viewer who enjoys blood sports like boxing and the full-throttle pace of the NBA post-season.

Kleenex is tops with this set – and targeting these athletic women with messaging that moves beyond the usually touchy-feely or fashion-forward is a sure bet. After all, Kleenex is good for nosebleeds, too.

Couch parents seek escape plan

Who they are: Not every couch potato is a lazy ne’er do well. Some, like those sitting at this demographic intersection, are just new parents. Neustar data shows that Netflix power-watchers are more likely to have had a baby in the last 12 months (or have one on the way). Without much time for themselves, they subsist on quick-fix meals and take-out.

What it means: It’s no surprise that these power-watchers are second-screening duringArcher marathons. Often on the New York Times website, clearly these consumers are thirsty for more than just baby formula spots and Pampers ads. When the kid’s finally asleep, they’re also surfing Movietickets.com, TripAdvisor.com and JetBlue.com.

How many years ‘til that kid leaves for college?

Marketers Just Want to Get to Know You (with Data)

Marketers Just Want to Get to Know You (with Data)

Data opens up opportunities for personalization, but also presents challenges

• Aug 7, 2014
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There’s no denying that consumers are demanding more tailored experiences when interacting with companies than ever before. Based on recent research, professionals are collecting data through analytics in an effort to respond appropriately.

The May 2014 study by Econsultancy in association with Lynchpin found that, thanks to the rise of data-driven marketing, analytics were a hot topic among digital business professionals worldwide, many of whom were using them to improve personalization efforts. In fact, personalization and targeting were the second most popular requirements for analytics related to understanding the customer, cited by 53% of respondents. Tracking behavior across devices and channels, which can aid in personalization further down the road, ranked first.

Analytics may help, but based on June 2014 polling by Experian Data Quality, data issues were still among the main challenges of personalization. While gaining insight quickly enough was the top hurdle to executing personalization, cited by 40% of US data management professionals, having enough data ranked a close second, at 39%. Inaccurate data rounded out the top three challenges.

Those who can master the art of personalization stand to see improvement across a handful of processes. Customer prioritization and cross-sell/upsell offers were the top processes improved by personalization, cited by 69% and 63% of respondents to the Experian survey, respectively. Relevancy and loyalty offers (58%), brand integrity (51%) and efficiency in internal routing (49%) also saw enhancements thanks to personalization efforts.