DataViz Tip #9: Learn the Basics of Statistics

In the previous tips, we’ve discussed that transforming your data can often expose the information in a new light and provide new insights to the person analyzing your visualization. Aggregating atomic data points into aggregates for periods is a powerful tool in helping users make more sense of the data. But the way you aggregate the data can result in very different outcomes.

As the famous example goes, if you take net worth of 9 regular people and add Bill Gates to the mix the mean net worth of the group would be dramatically skewed by Gates’ number. However, a median would be quite representative.

The bottom line is that you have to be mindful of the way you calculate aggregate numbers and to do that you should be familiar with tools at your disposal.

A good way to start is watching educational videos on YouTube or other platforms. Here are a few from the great Khan Academy:

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