Exploratory Data Analysis Using Data Visualization Techniques 📊.
Tags: datascience, luxdev, beginners, dataengineering
Published: 2023-10-15 18:10:30



![Data Visualization](https://moneycompass.com.my/wp-content/uploads/business_advantages_of_data_analysis.jpg)  

Are you intrigued by the fascinating world of Data Science and eager to embark on a journey to unravel the hidden insights within data? If so, you've landed on the right path. **Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA)** is a critical phase in the data analysis process that involves the initial investigation of a dataset to summarize its main characteristics, often with the help of data visualization techniques.<br>  
**EDA** is like peeling the layers of an onion to reveal the hidden insights within the data. This article will guide you through the exciting realm of Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) using Data Visualization Techniques, an essential step in the data science process.<br>  
**Exploratory Data Analysis** is a crucial step in the data analysis process. It allows data analysts and scientists to get a feel for the data, understand its characteristics, and generate hypotheses. Data visualization techniques are the tools that make EDA effective, providing insights that might otherwise remain hidden. In a data-driven world, mastering EDA is essential for making informed decisions and extracting valuable insights from your data




Data scientists serve as the bridge between raw, unprocessed data and valuable business insights. They have the unique skill set required to manipulate vast and seemingly meaningless datasets, extracting meaningful patterns and trends. This analysis, in turn, plays a crucial role in driving modern economies and assisting governments and organizations in addressing contemporary issues.  
 Data visualization techniques lie at the heart of this endeavor, helping data scientists and analysts make sense of the data and extract meaningful insights.

## **Understanding Exploratory Data Analysis**  
**[Exploratory Data Analysis](https://www.ibm.com/topics/exploratory-data-analysis#:~:text=Exploratory%20data%20analysis%20(EDA)%20is,often%20employing%20data%20visualization%20methods.)**, introduced by statistician John Tukey in the 1970s, is all about making sense of data without jumping to conclusions. It involves systematically examining data sets, summarizing their main characteristics, and creating visualizations to help understand the data's structure, patterns, and anomalies.  
**Data visualization** is at the heart of EDA. It's the process of representing data graphically to uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies. Here are some essential data visualization techniques frequently used in EDA

## **The EDA Process**
>**Data Collection:** The EDA process begins with data collection. It's essential to gather high-quality, clean data for meaningful analysis.

>**Data Cleaning:** This step involves handling missing values, outliers, and inconsistencies in the data.

>**Univariate Analysis:** In this stage, each variable is analyzed individually. This includes creating histograms, box plots, and summary statistics to understand their distribution.

>**Bivariate Analysis:** Bivariate analysis explores relationships between pairs of variables. Scatter plots and correlation matrices are commonly used in this phase.

>**Multivariate Analysis:** Multivariate analysis extends the exploration to multiple variables simultaneously. Techniques like heatmaps can be helpful.

>**Anomaly Detection:** EDA often involves identifying and addressing outliers and anomalies in the data.

## **Data Visualiation techniques📉.**  
Data visualization involves creating graphical representations of data, making it easier for humans to understand and interpret. Here are some essential data visualization techniques and their roles in EDA:  
1. **Scatter Plots**
Scatter plots are effective for visualizing the relationship between two continuous variables. They help identify patterns such as clusters, outliers, and trends. For instance, scatter plots can reveal whether there's a correlation between a person's age and income.<br>  
![Scatter Plots](https://docs.tibco.com/pub/spotfire/6.5.2/doc/html/images/scat_example1.png)

2. **Histograms and Density Plots**
Histograms provide a visual representation of the distribution of a single variable. They can indicate whether the data follows a normal distribution or if it's skewed. Density plots offer a smoothed version of histograms, making it easier to see underlying patterns.<br> <br> 
![Histogram](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b6a6dce4b089e11621d3ed/1611887632387-L44QASP3HYOAK2NPV8YZ/Histogram+example.jpg)

3. **Box Plots**
Box plots display the distribution of a dataset, showing the median, quartiles, and potential outliers. They are excellent for comparing distributions between different groups or categories. For instance, box plots can help you compare the salaries of employees in different departments of a company.  
![Box Plots](https://datavizproject.com/wp-content/uploads/types/Boxplot.png)

4. **Heatmaps**
Heatmaps are valuable for exploring relationships between multiple variables. They visualize the correlation between variables in a matrix form, making it evident which variables are strongly related and which are not.  
![Heatmaps](https://blogs.sas.com/content/graphicallyspeaking/files/2017/06/WFKRange1.png)

5. **Time Series Plots**
Time series plots are ideal for visualizing data collected over time, such as stock prices, temperature, or website traffic. They help in identifying trends, seasonality, and anomalies.  
![Time Series](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Mt6eJ.png)

6. **Bar Charts**
Bar charts are useful for displaying categorical data. They're often used for comparing the frequencies or proportions of different categories. For instance, a bar chart can illustrate the market share of different smartphone brands.  
![Time Series](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/55b6a6dce4b089e11621d3ed/1598373583669-2T51UP9OLLWDK4GXMXT1/Investment+by+area+of+impact.png)


## **Data Visualization: Bringing Data to Life📈**

Data visualization is a pivotal aspect of data science. After performing various data operations, the ability to convey insights through visualizations is essential for effective communication. Here are some valuable resources to help you master this skill:

- **[Tableau](https://www.tutorialspoint.com/tableau/index.htm)**: Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool that allows you to create visually appealing and easy-to-understand charts, graphs, and dashboards. Its user-friendly interface makes it an ideal choice for data analysts and scientists.

- **[D3.js](https://d3js.org/)**: D3.js is a JavaScript library that empowers you to create interactive and dynamic data visualizations. It's a popular choice for crafting custom and captivating visualizations.

- **[Seaborn](https://seaborn.pydata.org/)** and **[Plotly](https://plotly.com/)**: These Python libraries are handy for creating engaging and informative visualizations. Seaborn is known for its beautiful statistical plots, while Plotly enables you to build interactive charts.  
- **[Power BI](https://powerbi.microsoft.com/en-us/)** Power BI, short for Power Business Intelligence, is a robust business analytics service and data visualization tool developed by Microsoft. It empowers organizations and individuals to analyze data, share insights, and make data-driven decisions.  
Power BI is a suite of software services, applications, and connectors that work together to transform raw data into visually appealing and interactive reports and dashboards.



## **Building Your Data Science Portfolio**

As you progress in your data science journey, start building your portfolio. Creating projects and writing articles about your data analysis experiences will set you apart. Consider using platforms like **[GitHub](https://product.hubspot.com/blog/git-and-github-tutorial-for-beginners)** to showcase your work. **[Kaggle](https://www.kaggle.com/)** is another valuable resource, providing access to extensive datasets and a community of fellow data scientists.