It’s no secret that the modern world is saturated in data.

While the potential of data has always been known, exactly how versatile it is continues to grow as more novel ways of gathering, utilizing, and sharing information arise. Stephanie DH. Evergreen alludes to this progression in her book, Effective Data Visualization (Second Edition, 2020, page 2).

… we have so much data we are suffocating in it. So now smart organizations are asking me how to cut through all the data they have and make it useful again.

The great power data affords is followed by the need to make use of it. However, it’s not just companies who have the responsibility to be able to share data in ways that are visually appealing, convincing, and concise. These skills are increasingly becoming an asset for use in the office and in the classroom; so much so, it seem inevitable that they will soon be a requirement.

To meet this rising demand for infographics and other data visualizations, programmes appealing to audiences with varying levels of skillsets and expertise (as well as the even greater variability of the audience the visuals are for) have been created. Offering the ability to start from a template or from scratch with drag-and-drop ease, sites such as Piktochart and Easelly have been hallmarks in the industry for nearly a decade. Others, such as Canva, are seeing a new surge of enthusiasm as the company expands beyond infographics and into other graphic media such as business cards, posters, and even social media posts.

While there is more to effective data visualization than these user-friendly platforms might lead on to, they offer an invaluable resource to those heeding the call to be more responsible with the data they share. With the ability of constructing attractive infographics taken care of, creators can turn their attention towards the more subtle (but, perhaps, the more crucial) traits of being to the point and truthful. A testament to their credibility, what they do with the data – and, indeed, the power – they have at their disposal speaks volumes. After all, with great power …