What you need for this book

As with most skills in life that are worth pursuing, to become a capable data visualization practitioner takes time, patience, and practice.

You don't need to be a gifted polymath to get the most out of this book, but ideally you should have reasonable computer skills (software and programming), have a good basis in mathematics, and statistics in particular, and have a good design instinct.

There are many other facets that will, of course, be advantageous but the most important trait is just having a natural creativity and curiosity to use data as a means of unlocking insights and communicating stories. These will be key to getting the maximum benefit from this text.

You cannot become skilled by reading this book alone, so you need to have a realistic perspective about the journey you are taking and the distance you have made already. However, by applying the techniques presented, then learning and developing from your experiences, you will enjoy a continued and successful process of improvement.