2. Data visualization objectives

Data visualization is a communication tool, but it is also a tool for reasoning and decision-making. As Jack Goody pointed out, "graphic reason" is a mode of knowledge acquisition that conditions the way knowledge is perceived and organized. It is a "spatial device for sorting information" which, through the graphic organization of data (lists, tables, inventories, registers, maps, etc.), facilitates its representation, memorization and organization. So, if we want a visualization to reflect the concepts it represents, it's essential to define the objectives we're pursuing.

According to scientific reasoning, several methods can guide the production of...