We earthlings have it good. If earth’s orbit was a little closer to the sun it would be too hot; a little further and it would be too cold. Where earth sits is just right, an area otherwise known as the Goldilocks Zone.
我们地球人都很好。 如果地球的轨道更靠近太阳，那将太热了。 再远一点，那太冷了。 地球所在的位置恰到好处，这就是所谓的“金发姑娘区”。
If analytics is the solar system, then data visualization is its Goldilocks zone. On one side is reality, which is too detailed and complex to fully comprehend. On the other side is raw data, which is also difficult to understand because it is too abstract. For analytics to be useful, it must sit somewhere in the middle — not too real and not too abstract. Visualization is the key to getting it just right.
如果分析是太阳系，那么数据可视化就是其Goldilocks区。 一方面是现实，它过于详细和复杂，无法完全理解。 另一方面是原始数据，由于过于抽象，因此也难以理解。 为了使分析有用，它必须位于中间的某个位置–不太真实也不是太抽象。 可视化是使其正确正确的关键。
三腿式分析工具 (The Three-Legged Stool of Analytics)
People understand what they can touch, see, hear, smell, and taste. They cannot do that with an abstract concept. People find meaning in ideas that are connected to the physical world they live in.
人们了解他们可以触摸，看到，听到，闻到和品尝到的东西。 他们不能用抽象的概念来做到这一点。 人们在与生活世界息息相关的想法中找到意义。
This is a problem for analytics since abstraction is a fundamental aspect of it. To analyze and make a confident conclusion about something, a large amount of information is usually needed. That information then must be abstracted into raw data.
这是分析的一个问题，因为抽象是它的基本方面。 为了对某事进行分析并做出可靠的结论，通常需要大量信息。 然后必须将该信息抽象为原始数据。
Once the data is set, the next step is to group, aggregate, and apply statistical methods to it, with the goal of finding meaningful patterns that can be turned into generalized principles and predictions. This too is a fundamental aspect of analytics. Every analytical process starts with data and analysis, but it cannot stop here. It is still too abstract. For an analysis to be useful, it must make its way back to the five senses.
设置好数据后，下一步就是将其分组，汇总和应用统计方法，以期找到可以转化为通用原理和预测的有意义的模式。 这也是分析的基本方面。 每个分析过程都始于数据和分析，但不能止于此。 它仍然太抽象。 为了使分析有用，它必须回到五种意义上。
If analytics is a three-legged stool where the first leg makes information manageable (raw data), and the second leg makes it meaningful (data science), then a third leg is needed to make it relatable. That is the role of visualization. For an analysis to stand, all three legs must work in harmony. All too often, visualization is thought of as an add on, but there are several reasons why it should be treated as a fundamental part of every analytical project.
如果分析是三足的工作，第一根使信息易于管理(原始数据)，第二根使信息变得有意义(数据科学)，则需要第三根腿使其具有相关性。 那就是可视化的作用。 为了使分析站起来，所有三个支路必须协调一致。 通常，可视化被认为是附加功能，但是有几个原因将可视化视为每个分析项目的基础部分。
眼见为实 (Seeing is believing)
Describe something and it might be understood. Show something and not only will it be understood, but it will be understood instantly. The classic example of this is Anscombe’s Quartet, which takes 4 datasets with the exact same summary stats…
描述一些东西，它可能会被理解。 展示一些东西，不仅会被理解，而且会立即被理解。 典型的例子是Anscombe的Quartet，它包含4个具有完全相同的摘要统计数据集。
… and plots them to show how dramatically different the patterns can be when seen visually.
…并绘制它们以显示在视觉上看到的图案有多么巨大的差异。
There are, of course, more sophisticated methods for describing patterns, but no model, no matter how elegant, will likely explain these patterns more quickly and effectively than the visuals above. It is not enough for an analysis to be correct; it has to also help others understand what is correct. A thoughtful analysis paired with the right visualization is well equipped to do just that.
当然，有更复杂的方法来描述模式，但是没有模型，无论多么优雅，都可能比上面的视觉效果更快，更有效地解释这些模式。 仅靠分析是不够的。 它也必须帮助他人了解正确的方法。 经过深思熟虑的分析与正确的可视化相结合，足以做到这一点。
可视化是一个隐喻 (Visualization is a Metaphor)
A metaphor uses something that is easy to understand to describe something else that is hard to understand. One of my favorite examples of this is when Einstein described the theory of relativity: “Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute.” In only a few words, he described an abstract concept, e=mc2, with a vivid mental image anyone could understand. This is what visualization does for analytics.
隐喻使用易于理解的东西来描述其他难以理解的东西。 我最喜欢的例子之一就是爱因斯坦描述相对论的时候：“把手放在火炉上一分钟，好像是一个小时。 和一个漂亮的女孩坐在一起一个小时，似乎只有一分钟。” 他仅用几句话就描述了一个抽象概念e = mc2，它具有任何人都可以理解的生动的心理形象。 这就是可视化对分析的作用。
Charts organize data into a format that represents something in the real world that is easily recognizable. In other words, they are metaphors. Like a [KC1] suspect lineup, bars compare relative height. Like a bento box, treemaps show how each part contributes to the whole. Like a plot of land, scatterplots show relative 2D location. And so on.
图表将数据组织成一种代表现实世界中易于识别的内容的格式。 换句话说，它们是隐喻。 像[KC1]可疑阵容一样，条形图比较相对高度。 就像便当盒一样，树图显示了每个部分如何对整体做出贡献。 像一块土地一样，散点图显示了相对的2D位置。 等等。
In each example above, the meaning of the chart is understood instantly by all no matter what level of data literacy they have because it speaks in terms they already understand. That is the point of visualization: not to oversimplify, but to translate opaque, abstract concepts into a form that is easier to understand.
在上面的每个示例中，无论他们具有何种数据素养水平，所有人都可以立即理解该图表的含义，因为它以他们已经理解的术语说话。 这就是可视化的重点：不要过度简化，而是将不透明的抽象概念转换为易于理解的形式。
第六感 (The Sixth Sense)
The dirty little secret of analytics is that if people don’t like your numbers, they’ll find new ones.
分析的肮脏小秘密是，如果人们不喜欢您的电话号码，他们会找到新的电话号码。
It is not enough to make things real by relating to the 5 senses because there is a sixth sense that is even more powerful. It is officially known as confirmation bias, but it is more commonly referred to as “the gut”. It is that deep rooted conviction that something is true regardless of available evidence. Sometimes, it is a healthy instinct based on experience; other times, it is a stubborn refusal to let go of a mistaken belief. Either way, it is a huge part of how people make decisions, including both the reader and author of this article.
通过与5种感觉相关联来使事物真实化是不够的，因为还有第六种感觉更加强大。 官方将其称为确认偏差，但通常称为“直觉”。 根深蒂固的信念是，无论有无证据，事情都是真实的。 有时，这是基于经验的健康本能； 在其他时候，这是一个顽固的拒绝，以放弃一个错误的信念。 无论哪种方式，这都是人们做出决策的重要组成部分，包括本文的读者和作者。
To ignore that reality in your approach to analytics would be a mistake. It is not enough to simply present facts in a logical manner. You must also make an argument to the gut, and there is only one thing that the gut responds to: emotion.
在您的分析方法中忽略现实会是一个错误。 仅以逻辑方式呈现事实是不够的。 您还必须对肠胃进行辩论，肠胃只会回应一件事：情感。
Now, the e-word is a profane term for most analysts because the last thing we want to do is emotionally manipulate. However, the role of emotion in visualization is not to manipulate, but to show things that are true and why they matter. The goal of analytics is to discover insights and get people to act differently as a result. For them to act, they must feel it is important to do so. Visualization can make them feel it.
现在，对于大多数分析师而言，e-word是亵渎的用语，因为我们要做的最后一件事是在情感上进行操纵。 但是，情感在可视化中的作用不是操纵，而是显示真实的事物及其重要性。 分析的目的是发现见解，使人们采取不同的行动。 对于他们而言，他们必须觉得这样做很重要。 可视化可以使他们感觉到。
There is much to be said about how to put these ideas into practice, but for the sake of time let us briefly touch on three ways to do so.
关于如何将这些想法付诸实践，还有很多话要说，但是为了节省时间，让我们简要介绍一下实现这些想法的三种方法。
1.众所周知，它已经显示 (1. In order be known, it has be shown)
If you’re a data analyst and you haven’t made at least a small investment in your visualization skills, then you have a great opportunity to widen your audience and influence. Make visualization a priority in your personal development plan. You don’t have to be an artist — anybody can become competent by following a few basic principles. Pick a book or two and start reading. If you need a recommendation, anything by Edward Tufte or Stephen Few is a good place to start.
如果您是一名数据分析师，但您在可视化技能方面的投入至少不小的，那么您将有很大的机会扩大您的受众和影响力。 在您的个人发展计划中将可视化作为优先事项。 您不必是一名艺术家，任何人都可以通过遵循一些基本原则来胜任。 挑一两本书，然后开始阅读。 如果需要建议，Edward Tufte或Stephen Few的一切都是不错的起点。
2.不要把图表放在马的前面 (2. Don’t put the chart before the horse)
Use the right visual metaphor for the question being answered. A common mistake is to start building charts before understanding the question being addressed. Certain types of questions are best answered by certain types of visual metaphors. So, start with the question, pay close attention to the words being used, and match it with the appropriate metaphor.
对要回答的问题使用正确的视觉隐喻。 一个常见的错误是在理解要解决的问题之前开始构建图表。 某些类型的问题最好由某些类型的视觉隐喻来回答。 因此，从问题开始，密切注意所用的单词，并用适当的隐喻进行匹配。
For example, if the question is “How much … ?” or “What is the biggest … ?”, then use a metaphor for size and ranking, such as a bar chart. Comparing the length or height of multiple objects side by side like a suspect lineup is easy for people to do, especially when rank ordered.
例如，如果问题是“多少……？” 或“最大的是……？”，然后使用隐喻表示大小和排名，例如条形图。 人们可以很容易地将多个对象的长度或高度像可疑的阵容那样进行比较，尤其是在按等级排序时。
If the question is “How is something trending?”, then use a metaphor for time, such as a line chart. People tend to think of time as moving on a horizontal plane from left to right. When looking at a continuous line chart with dates on the x-axis they intuitively and quickly understand that they are looking at a timeline.
如果问题是“趋势如何？”，则使用时间的隐喻，例如折线图。 人们倾向于将时间视为在水平面上从左到右移动。 在x轴上查看带有日期的连续折线图时，他们直观而Swift地了解到他们正在查看时间轴。
If the question is “Where is … ?” or “What’s the path between … ?”, then use a metaphor for location. A 2D map is the obvious choice here. However, a common mistake is to assume that just because the topic involves geography that the question itself is a geography question. The question, “Which region has the most sales?” might seem like a geography question, but it’s really a size and ranking question. While maps are good at showing where things are in relation to other things, they are quite bad at showing relative size and ranking. In this case it’s better to use a bar chart or some other size related chart.
如果问题是“…在哪里？” 或“…之间的路径是什么？”，然后使用隐喻进行定位。 2D地图是此处的明显选择。 但是，一个常见的错误是认为主题仅涉及地理，因此问题本身就是地理问题。 问题：“哪个地区的销售额最高？” 可能看起来像是一个地理问题，但这实际上是一个规模和排名问题。 虽然地图擅长显示事物相对于其他事物的位置，但它们却不擅长显示相对大小和等级。 在这种情况下，最好使用条形图或其他与尺寸有关的图表。
There are of course many other types of questions and visual metaphors to explore, but these few examples should give you an idea of how to select charts that people will intuitively understand.
当然，还有许多其他类型的问题和视觉隐喻可供探索，但是这几个例子应该使您了解如何选择人们会直观理解的图表。
3.添加一点戏剧 (3. Add a little drama)
One of the key advantages of visualization is that it can show what matters, which is critical when dealing with “the gut”. If it’s important it should jump off the page, and the way to do this is by creating visual contrast.
可视化的主要优点之一是它可以显示重要内容，这在处理“直觉”时至关重要。 如果重要的话，应该跳出页面，而方法是通过创建视觉对比。
One way to do this is with color. Things that are really bright get noticed, especially when the surrounding colors are muted. Different colors can also evoke different emotions. Warmer colors like red, orange, and yellow tend to signify more heightened emotions like excitement, energy, and fear. Cooler colors like blue and green tend to signify positivity and calmness. So use color in your visuals to signify to users both where to look and how to feel about it.
一种方法是使用颜色。 真正明亮的东西会被注意到，特别是当周围的颜色被静音时。 不同的颜色也会唤起不同的情感。 温暖的颜色(例如红色，橙色和黄色)倾向于表示更加激动的情绪，例如兴奋，活力和恐惧。 较冷的颜色(例如蓝色和绿色)往往表示阳性和平静。 因此，请在视觉效果中使用颜色来向用户表示在哪里看和感觉如何。
Another way to add drama is with size. Objects that are significantly larger than all the surrounding objects get noticed first. When something in a visual is big, viewers not only see it first, but they also intuitively understand that it is important. Again, the goal is contrast, so making something slightly bigger isn’t enough. If it’s important, it needs to be significantly bigger.
增加戏剧性的另一种方法是使用大小。 明显大于周围所有物体的物体会首先被注意到。 当视觉中的某个东西很大时，观众不仅会首先看到它，而且他们还可以直观地理解它很重要。 同样，目标是形成对比，因此仅略微增大尺寸是不够的。 如果重要的话，它必须更大。
If you’re a data analyst, you probably spend a lot of time looking at numbers, identifying patterns, and formulating conclusions. You’re comfortable with dense tables and statistical models, but chances are, your audience isn’t. You need a way to make your work more accessible. Visualization can help.
如果您是数据分析师，则可能会花费大量时间查看数字，确定模式并得出结论。 您对密集的表格和统计模型感到满意，但是您的受众并非如此。 您需要一种使您的工作更易于访问的方法。 可视化可以提供帮助。
If you’re a visualization practitioner, you’ve already bought into the ability of visuals to bring analyses to life, but you may struggle with the constant challenge of creating visuals that are more insightful than a table full of numbers. Work to better connect your visuals to things your audience intuitively gets.
如果您是一名可视化从业人员，您已经了解了可视化功能以将分析变为现实，但是您可能会遇到不断挑战，即创建比数字表更具洞察力的可视化功能。 努力更好地将视觉效果与观众直观获得的东西联系起来。
Analytics is important, but it is not of much use if people don’t understand or care about it. To build great analytics, make it clear, make it matter, and make it just right with visualization.
分析很重要，但如果人们不了解或关心它，它就没什么用。 要构建出色的分析，请使其清晰，有意义并通过可视化使其恰到好处。
Dan is the practice leader for Visual Analytics at Aspirent Consulting. He has over 15 years of experience in finance, business analytics, and visualization working with Fortune 500 companies such as The Home Depot, Coca-Cola, and Mattel.
Dan是Aspirent Consulting视觉分析业务的负责人。 他在财富500强公司(如Home Depot，可口可乐和美泰)中从事财务，业务分析和可视化工作，拥有超过15年的经验。
翻译自: https://towardsdatascience.com/the-goldilocks-zone-of-analytics-40c5345d8dd8
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