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Learn why data visualization is important and some factors that are driving its demand.
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[SOUND]
>> Hi, I'm Mike Watson.
0:00
I'm the COO of Treehouse, and
0:06
I'm super excited to teach you
about data visualization in Excel.
0:07
We've structured this course so it'll be
informative for experienced professionals,
0:11
but also approachable for
absolute beginners.
0:16
Let's get started.
0:19
Collecting and analyzing data has
long been important and useful.
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For example,
think of the scientific method
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where researchers systematically observe,
measure, and experiment.
0:27
They then use that collected data
in the formulation, testing, and
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modification of hypotheses.
0:36
Or what about ancient armies gathering
intelligence on their adversaries and
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then drawing charts in the sand.
0:43
As the digital age advances,
our ability to collect and
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analyze data has skyrocketed.
0:49
With technological advances in databases,
cognitive computing power, and
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machine learning.
0:56
Indeed, we are now living in a world
where we can dynamically leverage data
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through algorithms to inform
all sorts of decision making.
1:02
As a result, data has become one of
the most valuable resources in the world.
1:07
And corporations are spending
billions to harness it.
1:12
In some cases,
they're spending billions to acquire it.
1:15
Think of Google's acquisition
of the route planning app, Waze.
1:20
And all the data on drivers
that accompanied that.
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The tremendous amount of data ride sharing
apps have on global transportation
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networks is a huge factor in their
multi-billion dollar valuations.
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All that data can be overwhelming, though.
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Simply putting a bunch of numbers
in front of people won't cut it.
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Oftentimes, visualization is what
makes the message in the mountains of
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data tangible.
1:46
Take this example from the World Bank,
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it shows how extreme poverty has
declined in the developing world.
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We can see over time how things
have progressed, it tells a story.
1:57
Even Bill Gates appreciates it.
2:02
Analysts and engineers need to take the
vast amount of data they're collecting and
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be able to tell a story with it.
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Data visualization is a crucial
component of story telling.
2:12
There is the age old saying,
a picture is worth a thousand words.
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And the nerd in me, might say,
a chart is worth a thousand numbers.
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In this course we're gonna learn how
to leverage tools that come with Excel
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to visualize data in your spreadsheets.
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You should also be aware that there
are other ways to visualize data
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beyond spreadsheets.
2:35
There are lots of software providers
that allow you to visualize data
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through a web application
connected to a database.
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For example, Tableau or Mode.
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There are programming languages and
libraries like R or D3 that
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provides similar functionality directly
within your application or console.
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Designers create infographics
to visualize data.
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Open any newspaper or magazine and you're
very likely to see some charts or graphs.
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In this course, we'll be covering all
sorts of graphs and charts like column
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charts, pie charts, line charts,
area charts, and many more.
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Regardless of what tools
you use to visualize data,
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this course will be valuable as we cover
the fundamentals of what types of charts
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to use in different situations.
3:25
With data visualization,
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the key question you have to ask is,
what picture tells the story most clearly?
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We'll use some real world examples to tell
a story with data later on in this course.
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But for now, in the next video, we'll
jump right in with a simple example and
3:40
create a chart comparing production costs
for different minds around the world.
3:45
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