5 Data Visualisation Books Every Beginner Must Refer To

Across all industries, the implementation of BI tools has becoming increasingly important. One of the reasons for a data analyst to be the most successful is his/her knowledge of exceptional data visualisation skills. In this article, we list down 5 major books on data visualisation that should be on your reading list to gain insights on BI.

1| The Visual Display Of Quantitative Information By Edward R.Tufte

About: This is a classic book of all time which gives readers a clear introduction to the basic and core visualisation theories of data graphics. This book caters the knowledge of statistical graphics, charts, tables, and other relevant topics. The author also illustrated 250 best and the worst statistical graphics with a detailed analysis of how to display data for precise, effective and quick analysis which will help an enthusiast to gain insights more clearly. Cost: You can buy both the hardcover and paperback version of this book from Amazon which will cost you ₹ 3,374.00 and ₹ 4,245.00 respectively. Click here to buy the book from Amazon.

2| Visualize This: The Flowing Data Guide To Design, Visualization, And Statistics By Nathan Yau

About: In this book, the author shows how to visualise data in such a way that could maximise its potential and tell a story in a brief and clear manner. The book describes the step-by-step process to visualise and show data. You will understand how to gather, parse as well as format data and then design high-quality graphics with the data. You will also learn which tools are the most suitable and can be used to visualise data-native graphics for the Web such as ActionScript, Flash Libraries, etc. Cost: You can buy both the Kindle version and the paperback version of this book from Amazon which will cost you ₹ 530.41 and ₹ 1,728.65 respectively Click here to buy the book from Amazon

3| The Functional Art By Alberto Cairo

About: This book by data journalist, Alberto Cairo shows the methodologies one can use in order to produce meaningful work by using modern visualisation tools. The author shows how to transform numbers into graphical shapes and makes the reader understand the stories behind those numbers. The book reveals why data visualisation should be thought of functional art rather than fine art, how to use color, type and other tools to make visualisation more effective, best practices for creating interactive information graphics and other relevant topics. Cost: You can buy both the Kindle version and the paperback version of this book from Amazon which will cost you ₹ 751.80 and ₹ 2,843.00 respectively Click here to buy the book from Amazon

4| Information Dashboard Design: Displaying Data For At-A-Glance Monitoring By Stephen Few

About: In this book, the author exposes the common issues in designing a dashboard and describes the best practices in detail with a number of instances. The book helps you understand how to design a dashboard as well as make you gain insights on the concepts rooted in brain science. Furthermore, this book focuses on fundamental considerations, in-depth instructions in the design of bullet graphs, sparklines and other critical steps to follow during the design process. Cost: You can buy the hardcover version of this book from Amazon which will cost you ₹ 2,539.00. Click here to buy the book from Amazon

5| The Accidental Analyst: Show Your Data Who’s Boss By Eileen And Stephen McDaniel

About: Whether you are an expert data analyst or a beginner, this book will guide you to use data for analysis. The book shows how to take control of the data as well as analysis to answer the queries of business and decision-making. The author describes the framework as seven C’s of data analysis such as Choose your questions, Collect your data, Check out your data, Clean up your data, Chart your analysis, Customise your analysis and Communicate your results. Cost: You can buy the paperback version of this book from Amazon which will cost you ₹ 2,268.00. Click here to buy the book from Amazon