Tips and tricks in data visualization — Part 1.

Good data visualization, apart from presenting your data in the best possible way, needs to be easy to understand and adapted to your target audience. Below are some rules that your visualization needs to follow in order to reach its full potential and deliver the message clearly.

Plotting

Clutter is something you should definitely avoid when visualizing data. Looking at the visualization should be pleasant to an eye, and understanding it should be as intuitive as possible. Good visualization is the one you are able to understand in under 30 seconds.

• Try not to visualize more than 5 categories on a pie chart

Visualizing too many categories on a chart makes it harder for users to compare them.

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• Try not to visualize more than 5 series on a line chart

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• Don’t use grid lines if not necessary

Use gridlines only when they are essential for distinguishing data values.

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Scaling

• Start axis at 0 value (even though you don’t have any data close to zero point)

Most users are used to axis starting at zero, and in most times they instinctively assume that. To avoid misleading appearance of your visualization, always start axis at 0 value.

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