Data Storytelling with Google Data Studio: A hands-on guide to using Data Studio for building compelling and effective dashboards

Apply data storytelling concepts and analytical thinking to create dashboards and reports in Google Data Studio to aid data-driven decision making

Key Features

• Gain a solid understanding of data visualization principles and learn to apply them effectively
• Get to grips with the concepts and features of Data Studio to create powerful data stories
• Explore the end-to-end process of building dashboards with the help of practical examples

Book Description

Presenting data visually makes it easier for organizations and individuals to interpret and analyze information. Google Data Studio is an easy-to-use, collaborative tool that enables you to transform your data into engaging visualizations. This allows you to build and share dashboards that help monitor key performance indicators, identify patterns, and generate insights to ultimately drive decisions and actions.

Data Storytelling with Google Data Studio begins by laying out the foundational design principles and guidelines that are essential to creating accurate, effective, and compelling data visualizations. Next, you’ll delve into features and capabilities of Data Studio – from basic to advanced – and explore their application with examples. The subsequent chapters walk you through building dashboards with a structured three-stage process called the 3D approach using real-world examples that’ll help you understand the various design and implementation considerations. This approach involves determining the objectives and needs of the dashboard, designing its key components and layout, and developing each element of the dashboard.

By the end of this book, you will have a solid understanding of the storytelling approach and be able to create data stories of your own using Data Studio.

What you will learn

• Understand what storytelling with data means, and explore its various forms
• Discover the 3D approach to building dashboards – determine, design, and develop
• Test common data visualization pitfalls and learn how to mitigate them
• Get up and running with Data Studio and leverage it to explore and visualize data
• Explore the advanced features of Data Studio with examples
• Become well-versed in the step-by-step process of the 3D approach using practical examples
• Measure and monitor the usage patterns of your Data Studio reports

Who this book is for

If you are a beginner or an aspiring data analyst looking to understand the core concepts of data visualization and want to use Google Data Studio for creating effective dashboards, this book is for you. No specific prior knowledge is needed to understand the concepts present in this book. Experienced data analysts and business intelligence developers will also find this book useful as a detailed guide to using Data Studio as well as a refresher of core dashboarding concepts.