Module 1: Impressive Visualizations

Hi everyone!

My name is Ramya and I am excited to explore visual analytics within the scope of various programming languages to share the tips and tricks I learn. 

I particularly enjoy map visualizations which is why my career aspiration is to be an environmental GIS specialist. One visualization that stood out to me recently was a very recent weather map displaying the flooding (mm) in Tamilnadu, India. I visited these areas with high rainfall and flooding during winter break. The bright colors and ease of understanding caught my eye in this heat map.


Keim et al (2018) explain the significance of information overload in negatively impacting user understanding of information. Visualization is a great tool to communicate more information through simple diagrams than words alone can achieve. According to Keim et al (2018), visual analytics is a tool for decision-making beyond information visualization and this is seen in the flooding heat map I was intrigued by above. Through this map, we understand the trends and patterns of inundation in Tamilnadu that allows clear action to be taken to reduce these trends. 

-Ramya's POV

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