Data Visualization and Statistical Graphics in Big Data Analysis

This article discusses the role of data visualization in the process of analyzing big data. We describe the historical origins of statistical graphics, from the birth of exploratory data analysis to the impacts of statistical graphics on practice today. We present examples of contemporary data visualizations in the process of exploring airline traffic, global standardized test scores, election monitoring, Wikipedia edits, the housing crisis as observed in San Francisco, and the mining of credit card databases. We provide a review of recent literature. Good data visualization yields better models and predictions and allows for the discovery of the unexpected