Data is hot right now.  From the junior analyst to the Chief Data Scientist, individuals are finding new ways to get better understanding of the raw inputs provided by employees, customers, competitors, etc.    In his book,"Visualize This" , the goal of author Nathan Yau ("FlowingData" Blog; UCLA PhD) is to show how powerful data visualization can be in getting this understanding.   He accomplishes this by having a laser focus on aspects of design and interpretation while using the new wave of technology that has formed and enhanced this exponentially-growing trend. 

Here are my major takeaways......