Companies and media houses should embrace visualised data in reporting news as it offers shareholders a more detailed view of the firm’s performance and eases understanding of the subject matter among readers.

Rajiv Ranjan, an ICT advisor at National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), said visuals, like graphics, help audiences to easily understand the information, noting that it could even help firms cut on advertising expenses.

Ranjan was speaking at a data visualisation and infographics design training workshop that attracted journalists, statisticians, cartographers, designers and students who won the Infographics competition conducted by NISR last year.

"Visual data makes it easy for readers to interpret long stories. That’s why media houses should employ tools like graphics to ease understanding and make stories attractive,” Ranjan said at the training in Rubavu District.

Claude Nyirimanzi, the NISR team leader for research, publication and documentation, noted that visualising data is important to enable people in all fields arrive at decisions fast.

Ephrem Rutagarama from University of Rwanda-Huye campus lauded the NISR initiative to engage stakeholders in developing capacities in visualising statistical information, saying good visual data is key to attract audiences.

business@newtimes.co.rw