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It is important to develop ways to display the data that you have collected for your quality improvement so that you are better able to analyze this information. Data visualization and analysis help tell a story about your project efforts by showing trends and relationships. This information is important to understand the variation in a process, and to monitor the process over time. Data visualization and analysis will ultimately help with decision making and help determine next steps for your project. There are multiple tables, graphs, and charts that you can use to visualize and analyze your data including a run chart or control chart.

Key Steps

• Determine the visual display (e.g. graph, table, chart, etc.) that is most appropriate for your data set
• Display your measurements over time. Make sure to annotate specific dates for interventions so that you can pinpoint potential influences for changes
• Validate your data with key stakeholders and other data sources to ensure that your data is accurate
• Analyze your data to understand your project impacts and determine possible next steps

Resources to Get Started

Read

Data Overview for Quality – This PowerPoint provides an overview for different charts and graphs that can be used to visualize your data and tips for using excel and Tableau. Guidelines for Run and Shewhart Charts – A run chart is a line graph that is used to monitors data over time to detect patterns, shifts, or cycles in a process. Shewhart charts (also known as control charts) is a graph that monitors a process variable over time, helping identify if a process is stable or if there are any special causes of variation that could indicate a problem. This handout provides an overview of rules and guideline to use for both charts. Pareto Charts Job Aid — A Pareto chart is special type of bar graph that orders bars by frequency counts from highest to lowest. These charts are often used to identify areas to focus on first in quality improvement. This job aid provides additional information and how to use pareto charts to inform decision making. – A radar chart or graph show the gaps between current performance areas and ideal performance areas. This article from Minnesota Department of Health outlines how to develop and use a radar chart for improvement project. Graph Formatting Best Practices

Use

Run Chart Template Creating Control Charts with QI Macros – This document includes a step-by-step process on how to create control charts in QI Macros which is an add-on software program within Excel.

Related QI Concepts

• Data Collection Planning – Before you visualize and analyze your data, you must first determine a plan on what data you will measure and how you will collect it on a regularly basis.
• PDSA – PDSAs are the change ideas that drive QI projects and will be one of the data points that you will need to collect over time.
• Presenting – Data is a key component of a QI presentation and helps demonstrate the level of impact your project has made. It is helpful to consider ways to display your data in a way that is easy to understand and interpret.
• Visual Management – Graphs, tables, and charts are often used for Visual Management for projects and helps team track and monitor their progress on regularly basis.