Or it is the other way around: now you don’t, but now you see it?

We all live information-rich, but time-poor lives and that undermine our decision-making ability. Information visualization is a way to “en-vision “ problems and solutions by understanding that humans are visually conceptual beings. Once we see something in a form that makes sense we’ve learned it, and can apply it as necessary.

How can it be explained through a visual diagram? Can data visualization be... visualized?

David McCandless answered this recursive issue on his impressive blog Information is Beautiful already a while ago, with a 4-layered Venn Diagram that combines the concepts of "Interestingness", "Function", "Form" and "Integrity".

Information visualization presumes that visual representations and interaction techniques take advantage of the human eye’s broad bandwidth pathway into the mind to allow users to see, explore, and understand large amounts of information at once. Information visualization focused on the creation of approaches for conveying abstract information in intuitive ways.

The field of information visualization has emerged from research in human-computer interaction, computer science, graphics, visual design, psychology, and business methods. It is increasingly applied as a critical component in scientific research, manufacturing production control, financial data analysis, market analysis and strategic planning.

The leading authority in the “field” of information visualization is Edward Tufte. Tufte has criticized the way Microsoft PowerPoint is typically used. In his essay "The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint", Tufte criticizes many properties and uses of the software.

Information visualization uses pictures, symbols, colors, and words to communicate ideas, illustrate information or express relationships visually. Information visualization adds seeing to reading to make complex data easier to understand and to use. It can help illustrate complexity, showing relationships between ideas or actors, or providing a snapshot of changing systems. It takes many forms and appears in many media. Some familiar forms include charts, graphs, maps, diagrams or timelines. These can be big or small, simple or complex, published in print or electronic media. It can help you present your information in a clear and compelling way, persuasively convey facts or ideas or discover something new in your data. It can tell “how many?” “when?” or “where?” It can show trends over time, compare elements or reveal hidden patterns. Information visualization brings form and structure to information.

Information visualization tells a story with pictures.