Over the years of working with data analytics, we have properly assessed the importance of their correct visualization. It helps represent large and complex data in a simple and visual format, identify patterns, draw attention to issues, find insights, and more.
We continue to improve our data visualization skills. If this field interests you, this selection of books is just for you:
1. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
Author: Edward Tufte
Publisher: Graphics Press, 1983 (197 pages).
Edward Tufte is considered the founder of the field of "infographics" worldwide. In this book, with 250 examples, the author teaches how to effectively visualize complex information using graphics, charts, maps, and tables.
2. Visualize This: The FlowingData Guide to Design, Visualization, and Statistics
Author: Nathan Yau
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2011 (384 pages).
This book provides practical advice from data visualization expert and creator of FlowingData, Nathan Yau. The author explores various data visualization methods through concrete examples and offers readers the opportunity to replicate the process, providing algorithms and programming code. Nathan Yau describes the entire process of working on data visualization from the beginning, including data analysis and understanding the goals of the visualization.
3. Semiology of Graphics: Diagrams, Networks, Maps
Author: Jacques Bertin
Publisher: Esri Press, 2010 (456 pages).
"Semiology of Graphics" is considered a classic in the field of information design theory. Originally published in French in 1967, the book is based on the practical experience of cartographer Jacques Bertin. The first part of this work is an unprecedented attempt to synthesize the principles of graphic communication with the logic of standard rules applied in topography. The second part brings Bertin's theory to life and is dedicated to the study of graphic methods of visualization, including shape, color, texture, and volume. The book is illustrated with examples of over 1000 maps and diagrams.
4. Visual Thinking: for Design
Author: Colin Ware Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2008 (256 pages).
In the book, Colin Ware takes basic knowledge about perception and attention and transforms it into practical advice for designers. The book inspires experienced designers and newcomers to visualize information in a way that enhances the thinking process of their audience.
5. Information Visualization: Perception for Design
Author: Colin Ware Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2004 (486 pages).
Most designers know that yellow text on a blue background is easy to read, but how many of them can explain why? This book delves into the secrets of perception: why we see objects the way we do. Building on this knowledge, the author provides fundamental principles of visualization to enhance understanding, clarity, and persuasiveness.
6. Information Dashboard Design: Displaying Data for at-a-glance Monitoring
Author: Stephen Few Publisher: Analytics Press, 2013 (260 pages).
Stephen Few addresses the common problems of information dashboard design and provides practical insights with numerous examples. According to the author, information dashboards have become a popular means of conveying information, but few do it effectively. This book not only teaches how to design information dashboards but also provides a deep understanding of how the brain works in relation to these concepts.
7. Data Visualization: a successful design process
Author: Andy Kirk Publisher: Packt Publishing Limited, 2012 (206 pages).
The author explains a structured approach to design, showing how to successfully tackle any data visualization task. This comprehensive guide covers the best practices in visualization design, helping readers navigate the process effectively.
8. The Visual Organization: Data Visualization, Big Data, and the Quest for Better Decisions
Author: Phil Simon Publisher: Wiley, 2014 (240 pages).
In this book, author and technology expert Phil Simon explores how more and more companies are using new data visualization tools and, more importantly, new thinking based on discovering and exploring data. Simon examines examples from high-tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and more. The author answers questions about how to use available tools to generate new and innovative ways of data visualization.
9. Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization
Author: Alberto Cairo Publisher: New Riders, 2012 (384 pages).
The book "Functional Art" is dedicated to the practical implementation of information graphics and visualization. It covers:
- Why data visualization should be considered "functional art."
- How to use color, shape, and other graphic tools to make your information graphics more effective.
- How the brain perceives and remembers information.
- Best practices for creating interactive information graphics.
- A comprehensive view of the creative process behind successful information graphics.
- Examples of inspiring work from leading global designers and visual artists.
10. Visualizing Data: Exploring and Explaining Data with the Processing Environment
Author: Ben Fry Publisher: O'Reilly Media, 2008 (384 pages).
"Visualizing Data" is a book written by one of the creators of the Processing language. The book explains the principles of information visualization at all stages of its creation and how to use the Processing language for visualization.
11. The Accidental Analyst: Show Your Data Who's Boss
Authors: Eileen and Stephen McDaniel Publisher: Independent platform CreateSpace, 2012 (300 pages).
Are you drowning in a sea of data? Would you like to take control of it to quickly solve business problems and make important decisions? If so, read this book for inspiration, ideas, and confidence to stop putting off everyday problems.
12. The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don'ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures
Author: Dona M. Wong Publisher: WW Norton & Company, 2010 (160 pages).
In today's data-oriented world, professionals need to know how to effectively and eloquently express themselves through graphics. This book teaches you how to choose the best graphics for your data, the most effective way to communicate with decision-makers, how to use colors effectively, and how to create "colorful" graphics even if you only have black and white available.
13. The Visual Miscellaneum: A Colorful Guide to the World's Most Consequential Trivia
Author: David McCandless Publisher: Harper Design, 2009 (156 pages).
The Visual Miscellaneum is a unique, innovative look at the modern information age, helping readers understand the countless statistics and random facts that constantly bombard us using ultra-modern graphics, charts, and illustrations.
14. Interactive Data Visualization for the Web
Author: Scott Murray Publisher: O'Reilly, 2013 (272 pages).
Want to create your own interactive data visualization projects but have little or no experience? Don't worry; this practical guide makes it easy and fun. Author Scott Murray explains the fundamental concepts and methods of the D3 library, which allows you to visualize data in a web browser. As you read, you'll expand your web programming skills using tools like HTML and JavaScript.
15. Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten
Author: Stephen Few Publisher: Analytics Press, 2004 (280 pages).
The qualitative design methodologies described in this practical guide to effective table and graph composition allow you to comprehensively convey important business information. The tables and graphs in "Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten" represent actual quantitative data in a pleasant form that facilitates decision-making.
16. Readings in Information Visualization: Using Vision to Think
Editors: Stuart K. Card, Jock D. Mackinlay, Ben Shneiderman Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 1999 (712 pages).
This progressive book falls within the field of developing infographics and offers a unique collection of classic works. The authors' goal is to demonstrate visualization as a means of collaboration and how, through interactive graphics, one can convey their own thoughts.
17. Beautiful Visualization: Looking at Data through the Eyes of Experts
Editors: Julie Steele, Noah Iliinsky Publisher: O'Reilly Media, 2010 (418 pages).
This book analyzes nearly two dozen techniques from experts in infographics, examining projects from the perspectives of artists, designers, scientists, analysts, statisticians, and more. Overall, they demonstrate how visualization shapes our perception of reality.
18. Data Flow: Design Graphique et Visualisation Information
Author: Robert Klanten Publisher: Thames & Hudson, 2009.
This excellent book is for graphic designers, architects, and more. It inspires the creation of graphics that make "dry" data visually engaging. A valuable resource for finding new ideas for visual information communication.
19. Data Flow 2: Visualizing Information in Graphic Design
Authors: Robert Klanten, N. Bourquin, S. Emann Publisher: Die Gestalten Verlag, 2010 (272 pages).
Data Flow 2 expands the definition of contemporary infographics. It describes new possibilities for diagrams, maps, and schemes. It also explores the visual and intuitive representation of processes, diverse data, and information. The book uses specific examples from research projects, art projects, and commercial documents to explain techniques such as simplification, abstraction, metaphorization, and dramatization.
20. Information Graphics: A Comprehensive Illustrated Reference
Author: Robert L. Harris Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2000 (448 pages).
This beautifully illustrated book is the first complete reference guide to visual information. It covers the entire spectrum of diagrams, graphs, maps, and tables used daily for analysis and information transmission. With over 3000 illustrations, it serves as an ideal source of ideas on how to visualize data.
21. Visual Meetings: How Graphics, Sticky Notes, and Idea Mapping Can Transform Group Productivity
Author: David Sibbet Publisher: Wiley, 2010 (288 pages).
Want to see how stunning visual effects can engage an audience? The book "Visual Meetings" explains how anyone can use visualization tools, just as they are used in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, to simplify individual and group remote work. This functional and illustrated book provides speakers and experts with numerous tools and effective techniques for presentations.
22. Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
Author: Stephen Few Publisher: O'Reilly Media, 2006 (224 pages).
In recent years, the information dashboard has become especially popular as a powerful centralized tool for instant communication of important information. This book will teach you the necessary design skills for clear, fast, and convincing communication. "Information Dashboard Design" explains how to avoid the 13 most common mistakes in dashboard design, provides readers with the required information in a concise and understandable form, and syncs knowledge of visual information perception with methods of visual presentation.
23. Understanding Comics
Author: Scott McCloud Publisher: William Morrow, 1994 (224 pages).
A modern book on comics, celebrated by the animation industry through stars like Art Spiegelman, Matt Groening, and Will Eisner, delves into the history, significance, and art of creating comics and cartoons.
24. Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative
Author: Edward Tufte Publisher: Graphics Press USA, 1997 (151 pages).
This book describes strategies for design, specifically the proper distribution in space and time of images, words, and numbers to convey information about movements, processes, mechanisms, causes, and effects. It examines the logic of presenting quantitative data.
25. Envisioning Information
Author: Edward Tufte Publisher: Graphics Press USA, 1990 (126 pages).
This beautifully designed book presents a series of examples of visual thinking. It is a great gift for those with a developed visual consciousness and perception.
26. Sketching User Experiences: Getting the Design Right and the Right Design
Author: Bill Buxton Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann, 2007 (448 pages).
This book approaches design and visual thinking as precise matters that need to be thoroughly understood by designers and all those involved in working with new systems or products in order to achieve success. By focusing on design, we achieve a holistic approach to the task. That's why the book is aimed at designers, usability experts, the entire human-computer interaction team, as well as product managers and executives.
27. The Elements of Graphing Data
Author: William S. Cleveland Publisher: Hobart Press, 1994 (297 pages).
The book presents design methodologies for the field of science and technology. Here, you will learn about many new ideas and techniques, many of which are little-known. An excellent methodological source for researchers.
28. Visualizing Data
Author: William S. Cleveland Publisher: Hobart Press, 1993 (360 pages).
"Visualizing Data" is more than just a short list of useful visualization tools. It teaches a strategy for analyzing information, focusing on design as well as careful analysis of data structure and the justification of the use of a particular statistical model for this information. Its understanding depends directly on the effect of the tools and strategies used. Once again analyzing a body of information from the scientific literature, this book demonstrates the connection of these factors, reveals failures, and inappropriate strategies.
29. Visualization of Time-Oriented Data
Authors: Wolfgang Aigner, Silvia Miksch, Heidrun Schumann, and Christian Tominski Publisher: Springer, 2011 (286 pages).
Time is a unique dimension that applies to many areas of life, such as medicine, technology, business, or science. Due to the perceptible aspects of time, appropriate visual and analytical techniques are necessary for its exploration and analysis. The book begins with an introduction to visual design and examples from its history. Essentially, the book discusses a systematic view of data visualization with a time orientation. It is based on three key points: the subject of visualization (data), the purpose (user tasks), and the method of visualization (visual design).
30. How to Lie with Statistics
Author: Darrell Huff Publisher: WW Norton & Company, 1993 (144 pages).
Darrell Huff explores the variety of popular statistical methods, examining phenomena such as experimental studies, tabulation techniques, survey techniques, and ways of interpreting data. In the book, he also draws attention to the tricks whose purpose is to clutter space rather than convey information.
31. Cartographies of Time: A History of the Timeline
Author: Daniel Rosenberg Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012 (272 pages).
What does history look like? "Cartographies of Time" is the first history of the timeline, written in an engaging manner with incredible visual effects. The authors, experienced writers and historians, narrate the history from the dawn of the print era to the present day. They shed light on Western views of history and the complex relationship between general ideas about the course of events and the technical efforts to record and link dates in the past.
32. We Feel Fine: An Almanac of Human Emotion
Authors: Sep Kamvar, Jonathan Harris Publisher: Scribner, 2009 (288 pages).
This is not an ordinary book as it explores our emotions from all angles, providing an understanding of each one. It's a radical experiment in mass authorship, merging the online and offline worlds to create an indispensable guide to what it means to be human.
33. Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order
Author: Steven H. Strogatz Publisher: Penguin, 2004 (352 pages).
"Synchronization" is the story of stunning order in the universe, the harmony that arises from cycles of synchronization. The tendency for synchronization is one of the most far-reaching processes in all of nature. It extends from humans to planets, from animals to atoms. In this book, Professor Steven Strogatz examines a series of examples of synchronization, self-organization, or the spontaneous emergence of order from chaos.
34. Art Forms in Nature: Prints of Ernst Haekel
Authors: Olaf Breidbach, Irenaus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, Richard Hartmann Publisher: Prestel, 2008 (140 pages).
Geometric and natural forms, meticulously captured in the prints of Ernst Haeckel, continue to influence artists and designers. The book highlights the research and findings of this scientist, such as Haeckel's fundamental monist concept of the "unity of all living beings."
35. Material World - A Global Family Portrait
Author: Peter Menzel Publisher: Sierra Club Books, 1995 (256 pages).
A photographic book by sixteen of the world's leading photographers who traveled to thirty nations around the globe to live for a week with families that were statistically average for that nation.