{"id":657666,"date":"2013-05-13T14:20:25","date_gmt":"2013-05-13T18:20:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gigaom.com\/?p=643727"},"modified":"2013-05-13T14:20:25","modified_gmt":"2013-05-13T18:20:25","slug":"visualization-is-the-future-6-startups-re-imagining-how-we-consume-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/657666","title":{"rendered":"Visualization is the future: 6 startups re-imagining how we consume data"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although visualization is hardly the most technologically challenging part of the data-analysis puzzle, it\u2019s arguably the most important.<\/p>\n

Storage, databases, query processing and algorithms are all extremely important \u2014 heck, visualization is next to nothing without them \u2014 but in a data-driven world where is obsessed with insights,\u00a0they\u2019re just the foundational layers. They are to big data what server and network configurations are to mobile-app development on platforms like Parse<\/a>. If you\u2019re going to find out new things from massive and highly complex data sets, or going to give new types of people the ability to analyze even simple data<\/a>, the presentation of that data and the ability to create consumable presentations are critical.<\/p>\n

With that in mind, here are six startups I\u2019ve seen trying to fundamentally change the way that data is visualized. Some are highly complex under the covers, some are not and none are perfect, but they\u2019re all doing their part to make us rethink what it means to look at data and make spreadsheets and static charts look like relics. (And this list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to add your favorite visualization tools in the comments.) We\u2019ll be highlighting data visualization at our design-focused RoadMap conference in San Francisco in November (sign up here<\/a> to get first access to tickets this Summer).<\/p>\n

Ayasdi<\/h2>\n

The idea of network graphs isn\u2019t new, but Ayasdi\u2019s<\/a> approach to it is. Under the covers, there\u2019s an HBase data store, a technique called topographical data analysis and hundreds of machine learning algorithms to churn through complex data sets and determine the similarity among the data points. To the end user, though, there\u2019s a map of the data set that looks a lot like a network graph<\/a> (only it\u2019s probably not network data) highlighting clusters of related data points that analysts might want to investigate further.<\/p>\n

\"tcga\"<\/a><\/p>\n

BeyondCORE<\/h2>\n

BeyondCore<\/a> actually operates under the same basic premise as Ayasdi \u2014 show users the significant correlations so they don\u2019t have to think of the queries that will uncover them \u2014 but it uses some different techniques to get there. It uses a different visualization method, too: BeyondCore sticks to standard charts, but actually offers the option of having an avatar talk users through the correlations<\/a> the software has discovered.<\/p>\n

\"animatedbriefing\"<\/a><\/p>\n

ClearStory<\/h2>\n

ClearStory<\/a> has a pretty unique product in the works \u2014 even if it\u2019s keeping many details and all of its screenshots under lock and key until its formally launches. Essentially, though, it\u2019s trying to tell stories via visualizations<\/a> that display mashups of numerous data sources, update automatically when the source data changes, and invoke collaboration and social concepts. Here\u2019s Co-founder and CEO Sharmila Mulligan explaining the idea behind ClearStory at Structure: Data in March.<\/p>\n