There are numerous ways to present data: written lists, paragraphical descriptions, charts, graphs, and pictures. The more pictorial representations there are, David Holoboff, database administrator for Pasons Systems Corporation, argues, the more easily data is transmitted, explained, or made accessible. These benefits can apply to information of any category or topic, from relative costs of government projects to social trends such as break-ups on Facebook or buzzwords for children of different genders and ages.

David Holoboff also presents a few secondary benefits of data visualization. Not only can information be more readily understood, he says, but the additional understanding of information can say lives: for example, patient charts or health risks organized in a readable, color-coded format potentially lead to more understanding and uptake.

Whether as a means to ensure better information retention in the healthcare field or just as an innovative method of presenting information, data visualization is a key and increasingly popular method of communication.