Osservare tanti dati : il ruolo della visualizzazione dei Big Data nella ricerca valutativa

The use of the Big Data in social sciences has raised a number of very delicate questions both in terms of access and in the management strategies of these sources of information. In particular, Big Data has posed a challenge mainly to data analysis from a research, decision and evaluation perspective. The aim of the paper is to illustrate the role of data visualization in assisting the process of data analysis and communication. After a brief introduction to the reasons behind the growing interest in this area and the importance of seeking new forms of data representation, attention will focus on two of the key components: the analytical component, oriented in the analysis of the data, and the communicative component, focuses on the forms of dissemination of the information. Analyzing and communicating data are the elements of the understanding process on which data visualization can make an important contribution. [Publishers' text].