Presenting complex data, whether in a PowerPoint presentation or a written document/report, can be tricky. There is a risk that the data will be unintelligible, and your audience baffled. When this happens, the core message you are trying to impart is lost in translation. One way to ensure data is understood and intelligible is to present it in the form of diagrams.
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Diagrams are a Powerful Tool
There are lots of tools to make creating diagrams easy, such as the diagramming tool from Miro. From flow charts to line graphs, diagrams can be inserted into all kinds of documents, in business, education, medicine, and almost any field imaginable.
There are many different kinds of diagrams, and all have an important role in the presentation of complex data. Using an example, let’s look at why this is the case.
The Advantages of Using Diagrams to Present Complex Data
Imagine how much raw data you would have if you analyzed population migration between all EU member countries within ten years. The data would be so dense, that nobody reading it would be able to see patterns or trends, let alone understand it. But if you crunch the numbers and present the data using charts and other diagrams, it is instantly much easier to make sense of the figures.
Most people can grasp data much faster when it is presented to them as a diagram. This is why media outlets often use diagrams and charts to present the data harvested from research studies and censuses. Elections are a good example of the way charts and diagrams are used to illustrate voting trends. The general public has zero interest in multiple pages of data, but they will pay attention to a simple bar chart that shows which party is in the lead.
