Heatmap

A heatmap is a data visualization that displays the magnitude, distribution, or intensity of values across two variables using color gradients. It is typically presented as a grid (matrix) or spatial surface, where each cell represents the aggregated value of a specific variable combination (e.g., region × revenue, time × filings, sector × risk score).

Color intensity encodes magnitude: darker or more saturated tones indicate higher values, while lighter tones indicate lower values. Depending on the context, these values may represent absolute figures (e.g., total revenue, number of companies) or relative measures (e.g., shares, proportions, or normalized values).

Heatmaps enable users to quickly identify structural patterns, clusters, concentration effects, and outliers within large or complex datasets. They are particularly useful for detecting regional differences, market concentration, temporal shifts, and distributional imbalances.

In North Data’s Company Intelligence, heatmaps are used to visualize both absolute values and relative distributions across key business indicators, supporting structured analysis and data-driven decision-making.

Relative Distribution of Business Type Across Regions – Germany (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, KPI: Revenue)