Dawn of the data age

摘要

We are awash with data, and it keeps piling up: Some analysts estimate the amount of digital information in the world now doubles every two years. The growing tidal wave will require automation-a shift some have called the Industrial Revolution of data-to collect and analyze it all. But mountains of automated data won't amount to much if we can't understand it. Enter the emerging field of visualization. Data visualization allows viewers to see the patterns in reams of numbers. It's the craft of simplifying the complex. Done poorly, it confuses, misleads, or even lies. Done well, it elucidates-serving as a window into hidden relationships and trends.