Lies, Damned Lies and Presenting
Data
We all know the cliché: ‘there are
lies, damned lies and statistics’. This is certainly true but there is another,
far more common, way that we are misled – how data is presented. This short
post dives into how data can be presented to draw various differing conclusions,
so you’re aware and in the best place to make decisions.
Consider the following: ‘Our production
capacity has doubled in 5 years’. Imagine how most busy people would
have read the same information if more emphasis was placed on the time and less
on the total capacity. Consider further the accompanying information: how have
sales, productivity and market share varied during this time? The frame that
data is presented in is critical to understanding the message that is conveyed.
Numbers, percentages and utility
We are often bombarded with facts,
figures and data. All too often it does not actually mean very much. For
example, instead of saying ‘approximately 400 children’ the size of the average
primary school allows much faster visualizations. A ‘100 truck convoy’, for
example, does not sound like a huge number but, if they are spaced at typical
distances, ‘a 10km convoy’ may be more useful. The key of context should be
clear but also trying to think what is it that I need to use this information
for, can provide an insight into how exactly it should be presented.
Percentages can be similarly
presented in all manner of ways. Pie charts are normally neutral but if bold
colors are used then overall the focus can be easily, maybe intentionally,
misrepresented. Sometimes small increases, expressed as a percentage, can sound
more impressive than is actually the case. Similarly, a percentage must be
related to some time period. If this time period is missing then you should
automatically be skeptical.
We hope that these ideas, at the
very least, arm you with the knowledge necessary to see the basic ideas behind
the data.
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