Semantic content and information visualization: A proposal for a datadriven communication narrative

Abstract

Charts and graphs are one of the main visual tools used to represent and convey information. A significant part of our daily work involves searching for, obtaining, and refining a dataset that allows us to tell a story. However, data does not speak for itself. It needs to be visualized to reveal the underlying analysis and bring to light the patterns it contains. In this work, we aim to characterize the main communicative contexts and content types that can be conveyed through graphs. We will also explore the most suitable visual approaches to efficiently and effectively fulfill these communicative purposes. In other words, in this chapter, we seek to present a structured methodology commonly used to properly implement effective information visualization. First, we identify the type of information to be encoded; second, we choose the type of graph that best represents that information; and finally, we design the visual elements that compose the graph.