How To Display Your Data In An Interesting Way

What is the best way for you to display your business data in order to catch your audience’s attention? Well, when it comes to making a point about business data, there’s one essential rule to follow: The numbers don’t lie. However, success isn’t merely predicated on inundating your audience with multiple figures and percentages. It isn’t predicated on hoping your audience can figure out your message. Instead, success depends upon how well your data speaks to your audience and how well you present that data in order to make your conclusion more universally accepted. In this case, it’s about displaying your data in a way your audience can appreciate, a way that explains your main arguments and opinions and a way that helps your audience arrive at your conclusion. So what are some of the ways you can display your data in an interesting way? More importantly, how can you display your business data so it makes the biggest impact?

Pie Charts, Bar Charts & Column Charts:

A pie chart breaks up data and displays it in a circular model, one where each individual segment is represented by different percentages and data labels. Pie charts are excellent business tools that help to define the size and scale of your business data. Different colours and tables can be used to help your audience visualize how your percentages, data and variances are broken down into its various parts. A column chart allows you to display data vertically across a time series graph, while a bar chart allows you to display the same data horizontally. Both allow you to define different variables for different time periods.

Time Series Graphs:

A time series graph expresses multiple data points across a given time period by linking each individual data point with a line. Separate markers are used to define different time periods and data points. Time series graphs are excellent tools to display variances in business data over time. An example would include showing a company’s sales and revenue over a month-to-month, quarter-to-quarter and year-to-year time period.

Pareto Charts:

One of the more proactive ways to depict your data is with a Pareto chart. Simply put, this chart is based on the Pareto principle, which states that 80 percent of outcomes are caused by the top 20 percent of a sample portion. Companies use Pareto charts to explain why 80 percent of sales comes from their top 20 percent of customers, or why 80 percent of their inventory is made up of 20 percent of their best selling products. In fact, the Pareto principle applies to multiple business functions and operations.

Dollarizing Data & Variables:

While each of these aforementioned charts help to define your data, they often pale in comparison to the benefits of applying a dollar value to your data. Companies must base their go/no-go decisions on solid numbers. Representing your data with dollar values helps to define that data to your target audience.

There are multiple ways you can define your business data. Ultimately, success depends upon choosing the right method. In this case, start by defining your target audience. Next, choose a method they can appreciate and one that will help you deliver your main message. Finally, summarize your data and take your audience through your analysis.


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