Designing for an Audience - Data Points: Visualization That Means Something - page 267

FIGURE 6-24 Relatability through physical location
During the exploration phase, it's often beneficial to see an overview of the
data first and then decide where to go from there. But you can also benefit
moving the opposite direction. You actually see this often in news articles,
where the writer starts with an anecdote to draw readers in and then zooms
out for a broader point of view.
Of course, not all data offers an immediate connection. Maybe you have
data about server status or voltage in a battery. Sometimes metaphors can
be useful, but a point of reference is the main thing you're after—something
familiar to compare to.