Data POV: When Presentation Shapes Perception

At the onset of my fitness journey, I heavily relied on a fitness tracker and smart scale to monitor my performance and achieve my goals. For example, if I had a few hundred steps left to reach my daily target of 10,000 steps and I was already in bed, I would spring up and ensure I met the goal.

The ability to see the data presented on my fitness tracker had a significant impact on my behavior. This is the essence of data presentation at work. It goes beyond mere numbers and charts; it’s about how these figures are displayed to us, shaping our behaviors, and guiding us towards our objectives.

Data permeates every aspect of our society, wielding immense power to enlighten, persuade, or even manipulate us. However, data is more than just a source of information; it’s a lens through which we view the world. The way data is displayed can mold our understanding and interpretation of the information, thereby influencing our choices and actions.

Presenting data is akin to crafting narratives with statistics, possessing the power to model our attitudes and beliefs. It involves transforming raw data into a visually appealing or textual format that communicates a compelling message or story, resonating with our emotions and values. By carefully selecting the data, format, and objective, data presentation can weave narratives…