Have you ever found yourself in life, business or academia, explaining relationships or correlations between data? Chances are, you resorted to a visual aid such as a chart made on your computer or drawn on the back of a napkin when trying to get others to grasp what you are trying to convey.
When doing so, it is important to understand that a chart is always subjective. When you try to visualize data, you are — sometimes unconsciously — deciding what information to highlight and obscure, as various chart types “force” the data into specific data-stories. The charts you use may also exclude certain audiences if they require specialized knowledge (e.g., some charts used in science or finance).