The world of academics is ever-changing. Professor Lindy Ryan, instructor of the Master of Business and Science course Business Intelligence with Visual Analytics, has recently released a new edition of her textbook. In the new edition, Professor Ryan draws from her research in visual analysis, data science, and data storytelling to provide readers with cutting-edge information on mastering visual analytics and visual data storytelling.
In 2010, Professor Ryan co-founded the business intelligence research and advisory firm Radiant Advisors, where she led the company’s research and data enablement practice for clients. In addition to her role as a faculty member at the Professional Science Master’s program, she is also an award-winning author, editor, and short-film director.
Read our Q&A with Professor Ryan to find out more about the latest edition of her book.
Why was it important to update Visual Analytics Fundamentals: Creating Compelling Data Narratives with Tableau? Can you share any new material or big ideas?
Like most technologies, the study of visual analytics moves fast. While fundamentals and foundational concepts remain stable, new ideas and new resources continue to both support what we already know and offer new-thinking and creative ideas that evolve how we communicate using data visualization. Likewise, as we practice visual analytics, we must apply our work in a tool to produce the desired outputs, and technology advances at what often feels like lightning speed—especially in the world of data visualization, with tools like Tableau, the software used to apply learning in this text (and the visual analytics tool most in-demand tool by employers). My first visual analytics textbook (The Visual Imperative) came out in March 2016, and the future projections for visual analytics laid out there have been met—and even exceeded! My second book (Visual Data Storytelling with Tableau) followed in 2018 to incorporate these and apply them within Tableau, and in 2023, we continue to see more exciting changes and updates to the space. This updated edition synthesizes new research, and applies it within Tableau’s updated application environment, along with providing new data sets and visualization types that empower analysts to learn new skills to continuously hone their visual data storytelling efforts.
How did your professional experience as a professor, visual storyteller, and novelist inform you when writing this book?
Just as we never finish learning in our practice areas, we never stop finding new ways to better instruct, communicate, and story-tell. I’ve worked and taught in visual analytics for nearly fifteen years, and have been a published novelist for some time, and every new book (new story) pushes me to work harder, better, and smarter to bring the skills and experience I’ve learned into shaping learning pathways for others. Writing a textbook is a bit like telling a data story itself and follows many of the same logical and creative steps we use as analysts and storytellers, regardless of genre.
What’s the importance of visual analytics and visual storytelling in the modern workforce?
In today’s data-driven workforce, every employee at every level should understand how to analyze, understand, and communicate data-driven takeaways to their audiences. It’s not a math skill or a UX skill; it’s both—and more. Knowing how to analyze, curate, and communicate with data visualization requires knowledge in statistics, data visualization, visual design, and storytelling—and, of course, an application environment (unless you’re willing to hand-draw your own visuals, which was the method prior to the invention of computer graphics!). This is as much analytics as it is communication: making data mean something—and making it visually impactful, memorable, and actionable. Leveraging visual design isn’t only important in curating visual assets, but in leveraging our brain’s innate cognitive horsepower to derive meaning from visuals.
Who would benefit from reading this book, and what impact do you hope it will have?
The book is designed to support learners both brand-new to visual analytics and data storytelling, and already working in the field. It’s a workbook and study guide in one, making it ideal for both classroom and individual instruction. So, whether you’re taking/teaching a college course, learning for yourself, or simply interested in telling fun visual stories about accessible data—this book is for you!
Have these updates impacted the MBS course you teach, Business Intelligence with Visual Analytics?
As Tableau updates its platform, so too does my course follow suit, so that students are kept abreast of the changes and features available to them inside the software. As research continues, these takeaways are incorporated into the course as well. I’m always looking for ways to help students increase efficacy in applying what they learn in visual analytics—and have fun while doing so!—so I’m constantly on the lookout for new data sets, new projects, and new methods for students to engage with course content and material—and this new edition of the course text, of course, supports that by giving students a solid resource to support them throughout the course.
Can you share insight about trends or future directions in the area of visual analytics?
As with everything, the use of AI is disrupting the visual analytics space—all the way from how we use AI in analytics and data visualization, to how we teach about using it. Research is ongoing in this area, and of course impacted by the advent of things like ChatGPT, so we’re still playing catch up while we look ahead to the future. Animation continues to grow inside visual analytics, as does the application of these principles and practices with personal data, streaming data, and other forms of viral analytics.
To learn more about Professor Ryan, check out our Q&A with her regarding her accomplishments in the publishing industry.