[We are] visualizing information so that we can see the patterns and connections that matter. And then designing that information so it makes more sense, or it tells a story, or allows us to focus only on the information that's important.

David McCandless, from The Beauty of Data Visualization, Ted Talk

Multimedia literacy in the 21st century requires knowledge of how to assess and produce media which relies on data. Combining data collection and analysis with strong visualization tools allows viewers to make new meaning more easily and rapidly than by reading simple text or long lists of figures. Beyond visualizing data in static ways, dynamic digital data visualization tools offer viewers the opportunity to focus and refocus their attention instantly, making new meanings on-the-fly through using interfaces which allow users to changes data relationships in real-time. Because of their interactive nature, data-driven multimedia texts can help users make better-informed decisions. By adjusting parameters, new relationships and new scenarios emerge, driving new insights. Entirely new fields are emerging such as Data Science, which are organized around using data—often at exceedingly large scales—to drive decision making across a range of areas, including everything from product marketing to redesigning socioeconomic futures for the poorest in our communities. Forbes predicts demand for data scientists will soar, increasing by nearly a third in the next few years.

Working with data usually proceeds in three phases.