Infographics

Data is information collected from observations, surveys, or experiments. It can take many forms — from numbers to words — and with so many variables, it can quickly become overwhelming.

That’s where data visualization comes in.

Data visualization is the process of transforming raw data into visual formats like charts and graphs. It helps simplify complex information, highlight patterns, and make the data easier to understand at a glance.

This video breaks down the most common graphs in data visualization and helps you figure out which one fits best for your infographic.

When visualizing your data, there are two things to keep in mind:

1. What is your goal with the data?
2. What type of data do you have?

Knowing your data type and what you hope to convey will inform what kind of visualizations you should use for your infographic. Using Venngage's ICCORE method, there are 6 different types of goals most people wish to convey with data visualization:

1. Inform - Convey an important message that is quick to read and comprehend.
2. Compare - Show similarities or differences between values.
3. Change - Demonstrating trends over time and place.
4. Organize - Show groups, patterns, or rankings.
5. Reveal relationships - Show complex associations between values.
6. Explore - When you want the reader to interact with the data and discover things for themselves.

Each of these goals helps determine what type of visualization best fits your project. For example, demonstrating change might require a timeline while revealing relationships might need a scatterplot or a network graph.

When considering different types of data, knowing whether you’re working with text, numbers, or coordinates will influence how you can visualize it. Visit the Data Visualization guide to learn more about how to visualize your research data.