Choosing how to present and visualize data

Data wants to be consumed. And for that it has to be found and chosen. Visualizations are a powerful way for users to discover what's in your asset and what it can do for them.

Luckily, as an admin or data contributor, you have several different methods to do this. You can let users explore your asset independently, provide curated visualizations, or build more guided or customized experiences.

The right approach depends on:

• What users are looking for, and how specific their needs are

• How much guidance your users need

• Whether the experience concerns one dataset or several

• Who will create and maintain the result

You do not necessarily need to choose only one approach.

A prepared visualization can help users understand why a dataset matters, while self-service tools let them answer more specific questions. For example:

• Use a Custom view to communicate a dataset’s main insight, then let users continue with Explore data

• Use a Studio page to guide users through a subject, with links to the underlying datasets

• Use Huwy to help users discover and understand data alongside established dashboards and reports

• Use a custom application for a specialized workflow while continuing to publish its source data in the marketplace

Prepared experiences are most effective for stable, recurring needs. User-led exploration is more appropriate for questions that vary according to the user or situation.

Often, more is more. Still, be hard-nosed about your needs and keep in mind that customization also means more work to build, test, and maintain each experience. So as a general principle, use the simplest option that meets the identified need, and adjust as needed.

Use the Explore data feature when users need to investigate a dataset and answer questions that you cannot necessarily anticipate in advance.

Users can filter the data and create their own visualizations. This makes Explore data appropriate for open-ended analysis, changing questions, and users who want to work directly with the dataset rather than follow a prepared presentation.

Explore data does not require you to design a visualization for every possible use case. However, users must understand enough about the dataset to select suitable fields, filters, and calculations.

Use our optional AI agent Huwy to help your users find relevant assets, understand unfamiliar data, or ask analytical questions using natural language.

Huwy is especially useful when:

• Users do not know which asset contains the information they need

• They need help understanding a dataset’s structure or fields

• Their questions are specific and might change, or are difficult to anticipate

• They want to refine an initial question through conversation

Huwy supports discovery and exploration. Still, remember that Huwy shouldn't replace a stable dashboard or report when users need the same indicators presented consistently over time.

Use Custom views when you want to more immediately communicate a dataset's value.

Custom views are created and configured by the data publisher. They can present the dataset through different charts, maps, tables, or key figures, and remain directly associated with that dataset.

Custom views are particularly useful when:

• A dataset benefits from a clear visual entry point

• One or two charts, maps, tables, or indicators can communicate its main value

• Users should see a prepared interpretation before exploring the data themselves

• The presentation concerns one dataset rather than a broader collection of information

A Custom view should help users understand the dataset, not attempt to answer every possible question. Users can continue through Explore data when they need to investigate further.

Use Studio when you need to guide users through a structured and reusable presentation.

Studio is a no-code page editor. It lets you combine visualizations such as charts, maps, tables, and key figures with text and images.

A Studio page is appropriate when:

• Several visualizations are needed to explain a subject

• Users need context or guidance between visualizations

• You are building a dashboard, report, thematic page, or data story

• The presentation should follow a deliberate structure

• Contributors without development skills need to maintain the page

Unlike a Custom view, a Studio page is an asset in its own right. Use it when the experience extends beyond presenting a single dataset through one or two prepared views.

Use the Code editor when the required design, behavior, or interaction cannot be created with Studio or another purpose-built Huwise feature.

Code editor pages provide direct control through HTML, CSS, and Huwise widgets. They can support highly specific layouts and interactions, but they require technical skills and generally involve more maintenance than no-code alternatives.

Before creating a Code editor page, determine whether the need can instead be met using:

• A Custom view for a visualization associated with one dataset

• A Studio page for a dashboard or guided data story

• The available portal or asset configuration and styling options

Use the Huwise APIs when data must be used in an application or experience outside the standard Huwise interfaces.

An application can retrieve Huwise data through an API and present or process it according to its own requirements. This is appropriate when:

• The experience must be integrated into another application or website

• Users need a workflow that is not provided by the standard Huwise interfaces

• Development teams need programmatic access to current data

• The required experience extends beyond a page or visualization in the portal

Custom applications provide the greatest freedom, but they also require development, hosting, testing, and ongoing maintenance.

See especially An introduction to the Explore API for more information.