Play Your Charts Right
12 Illustrated Pieces of Advice for Making Better Data Visualizations
In a world that runs on data, reading and creating graphs is a skill expected of everyone. But are we fully equipped for this world? Are there things that if encoded differently on a chart could enhance communication, and avoid unnecessary confusion and misunderstandings?
With this question in mind, my team and I designed an illustrated cheat sheet with tips on how to present data on a chart so it’s easy for the human brain to decode. Although people often prefer to follow “rules,” we can’t promise to offer those. How effective a chart is depends on many factors: the intended audience, the purpose, the presentation medium, the level of complexity, and of course the data itself. As data visualizer Danyel Fisher said in an interview, visualizing data is not a technical process, it’s a social one.
In many cases, though, especially in the workplace, people use charts to fulfil a relatively specific purpose: to visually share clear, concise, and practical information with others. An effective data visualization therefore needs to be three things: trustworthy, accessible, and elegant, as data visualization expert Andy Kirk puts it in his book. So, bearing this advice in mind, and adding a bit of humor, we designed a poster and a set of cards to remind us to present the facts, keep it simple and — as with many things — that less is more.
I hope this poster finds a home on your wall, and that you find the tips helpful! Discover more about the project here.
