One could argue that data visualization is creative, realistically, it is not. is. To visualize data, we really only need to be proficient in using technology. “The colors and style settings of this theme are designed to be both attractive and accessible to viewers with color blindness”. Using tools such as theme and feel of a layout show that one can go through the process without much real thought. Clearly, some people may take a more creative route than others in order to make their product look more flashy or appealing. However, many people can visualize their data in a much more simple fashion while still making their message impactful. Ultimately, our goal is to give the consumer clear and concise data, this does not always mean that we need to be creative or fancy to get our point across.
Is Creativity Necessary?
As I previously stated, being creative does not make or break effective data visualization. While it can often make our message stronger, it can also distract users from the main message we are trying to convey.
Many users envy creativity in data visualization but our main objective is to simply get our point across quickly so that users do not have to go searching around for what they need. It is most important to make things crystal clear and easy to navigate. In doing this, we are making things easier on the reader and allowing them to realize what they are looking at. Ultimately, creativity is helpful, but not entirely necessary.
