20/11/22, 12:24 μ.μ.

Section 1

Section 1

Video: Data visualization

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Time Caption

0:00 ♪ [music] ♪

0:16 - [Flora] Hi, everyone.

0:17 Flora and Lauren here. - [Lauren] Hi.

0:19 - [Flora] And we want to take a minute to talk about

0:21 one of my favorite topics -- data visualization.

0:25 - [Lauren] Specifically, we want to focus on data visualization

0:27 as it relates to spatial data science

0:29 because it plays such a crucial role

0:32 in the entire analysis process from start to finish.

0:35 - [Flora] It really does. From exploring and getting to know

0:38 your data to interpreting your analysis results

0:41 to communicating your findings,

0:43 visualization is how we make sense of things.

0:46 - [Lauren] If we think about the beginning of the analysis process,

0:49 that's where we start to understand our data

0:51 and to frame the questions that we're going to ask,

0:54 data visualization has a key role to play.

0:57 By mapping our data, we might start to find things

1:00 like spatial outliers, a point in the middle of the ocean when

1:03 we're analyzing a species that lives in the desert.

1:05 We might also find patterns on that map that would lead to

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1:10 questions that we didn't even know we had.

1:12 - [Flora] And it's not just about mapping.

1:14 We can use histograms to see how a numeric variable is distributed,

1:18 because we might want to know if our data

1:20 has a normal distribution or if it's skewed.

1:23 We could use scatter plots to visualize the relationship between variables,

1:27 which is often an important part of the predictive analysis process.

1:32 Or we can use temporal charts, like line charts or data clocks,

1:36 to visualize trends and cycles over time.

1:39 - [Lauren] Well, this visual exploration helps us understand

1:42 the health of our data and also helps us hone in

1:44 on the questions that we want to ask.

1:46 - [Flora] Especially when it comes to spatial analysis,

1:49 data visualization is not just a decoration.

1:52 It's really a requirement.

1:55 And I think that we would both agree that some of the most exciting uses

1:59 of data visualization are actually when we're doing the analysis,

2:03 how we can combine 2D maps and 3D scenes and different charts

2:08 to help us evaluate and interpret our results,

2:10 and sometimes they can even help us understand

2:13 how the underlying algorithm works.

2:16 - [Lauren] I think that multivariate analysis is

2:18 a really great example of this.

2:19 It's a time when we're looking at multiple variables.

2:22 We've got these complex relationships at play,

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2:25 and a map is very rarely going to be enough for us

2:28 to understand the results of our analysis.

2:30 By adding something as simple as a chart into our workflow,

2:33 we can really start to summarize the results of our analysis in

2:37 useful ways and really make sense of things in a much deeper way.

2:41 - [Flora] Exactly. We often need more

2:44 than a map to understand our results.

2:46 That's why so many analysis tools within ArcGIS

2:49 create charts as part of their output.

2:52 They're integral to the results, and they're generated automatically

2:56 when you run an analysis.

2:58 - [Lauren] Lastly, our analyses are only useful if they can be

3:02 communicated and understood.

3:05 This is so true, in fact, that we're going to spend the whole last week

3:08 in the MOOC talking about how we can communicate effectively the
results of

3:12 our analysis and distill complex analytical findings

3:16 so that stakeholders, decision-makers, and the public

3:19 can understand them and use them to drive decision-making.

3:22 - [Flora] I think, for now, a key takeaway is that spatial data science

3:27 can't happen without thoughtful visualization at every step,

3:31 and ArcGIS has lots of tools to see you through the process.

3:36

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