Navigating the World of Data Visualization

Abstract

As an engineer, I work with data all the time. I parse log files, analyze data, estimate values, and compare the results with theory. Things don’t always add up. So I double-check my analysis, perform more calculations, or run simulations to understand the results better. I refer to previous work because the ideas are similar or sometimes because they’re dissimilar. I look at the graphs and realize I’m missing some crucial information. So I add the missing data, but it’s noisy and needs filtering. Eventually, I realize my implementation of the algorithm is poor or that there is a better algorithm with better results, and so it’s back to square one. It’s an iterative process: tweak, test, and tweak again until I’m satisfied with the results.