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Practice Data Visualization

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Data Visualization Tools

4:20 with Anwar Montasir

The best-known names in software for visualizing data are Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. However, as a UX designer, you’ll probably only use Excel or Google Sheets when you need to prepare or share information quickly or create a rough visual when seeking feedback. If you’re looking to create a more sophisticated visualization or something that reflects a client’s brand, you’ll need a tool that offers more powerful visualization options.

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    The best-known names in software for 0:00
    visualizing data are Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. 0:03
    While Excel is arguably more powerful, Google Sheets offers 0:07
    the advantages of being free, collaborative, and cloud-based. 0:11
    If you're interested to learn more about either program, 0:16
    I've included readings in the Teacher's Notes. 0:19
    However, as a UX designer, you'll probably only use Excel or Google 0:22
    Sheets when you need to prepare or share information quickly, 0:27
    or create a rough visual when seeking feedback. 0:31
    If you're looking to create a more sophisticated visualization or 0:35
    something that reflects the client's brand, 0:39
    you'll need a tool that offers more powerful visualization options. 0:42
    If you're interested in pursuing data visualization as a career, 0:46
    you'll want software built for the job such as Tableau. 0:51
    Tableau is available both as a free version called Tableau Public and 0:54
    a more powerful subscription option called Tableau Creator. 0:59
    As you can see from Tableau's Viz of the Day gallery, options for 1:04
    creating charts and visualizations in Tableau are seemingly limitless. 1:08
    However, like any advanced software, Tableau has a steep learning curve and 1:13
    learning to use it is beyond the scope of this practice session. 1:18
    Although I've once again included a few resources in the Teacher's Notes 1:22
    if you're curious to learn more. 1:27
    What about the tools you're already used to using? 1:30
    Do design programs like Figma and Adobe XD 1:33
    offer any features to make data visualization easier? 1:36
    By default, not really. Figma and Adobe XD weren't built to compete 1:40
    with specialty visualization software like Tableau. 1:45
    However, if you're tasked with importing data from a spreadsheet or looking 1:49
    to speed up the process of creating a common chart, plugins are available for 1:54
    both platforms that are worth checking out, each with their own pros and cons. 1:59
    The Chart plugin is available for Adobe XD, Sketch, and Figma, and 2:04
    at a glance it offers an appealing number of built-in visualizations, 2:10
    including scatter plots, bar charts, line charts, and area charts. 2:15
    However, these features are limited to the paid version of the Chart plugin. 2:21
    The free version limits users to line charts only. 2:26
    Chart is capable of providing designers with random data to work with, 2:30
    as well as the ability to import data from a variety of sources, 2:35
    including Excel and Google Sheets, plus CSV and JSON files. 2:40
    Your visualizations in chart are updatable, meaning if the data changes, 2:45
    your visualization will change to reflect the new data. 2:50
    In addition to the Chart plugin, Adobe XD offers a free plugin called VizzyCharts. 2:55
    VizzyCharts accepts the data in the CSV format and 3:01
    is capable of creating line, bar, and ring charts. 3:05
    If this list of recommended plugins seems like a short one, keep in mind that 3:10
    Figma and XD aren't really built for data visualization specialists. 3:15
    Still, depending on the solution you settled on in your sketch phase, you might 3:20
    want to try out one of the listed tools for creating your own visualizations. 3:25
    For my choropleth map, I'll be working in Figma primarily by hand. 3:30
    However, there is one plugin I'm planning on using in executing my final product. 3:35
    A company called Stark Lab promises to make the world's software more 3:41
    accessible by offering plugins for Figma, Sketch, Adobe XD, and Google Chrome. 3:46
    Since I'll be building my choropleth map in Figma, 3:53
    I'm going to install the Stark Figma plugin. 3:57
    This will allow me to test my design to make sure it's usable 4:00
    by colorblind audiences. 4:03
    Great, I believe I have everything I need to get started. 4:05
    Before we move on, try turning your own best sketch into a finished 4:09
    visualization using the software of your choice. 4:13
    We'll take a look at my solution in the next video. 4:16

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