basic rules of good data design

Krisztián Szabó

Szabó Krisztián

Átlátszó

ATLO

Frequently used softwares:

Preattentive processing

Five guidelines for better data visualisations

Show the data
Reduce the clutter
Integrate the graphics and text
Avoid the spaghetti chart
Start with gray

1. Show the data

"Not all the data must be shown, but you should highlight the values, that are important to your argument"

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2. Reduce the clutter

"The use of unnecessary visual elements distracts your reader from the central data and clutters the page."

3. Integrate the graphics and text

"Far too often, we treat the text and annotations as an afterthought, but these elements can be used to explain how to read the content in the graph as well as how to read the graph itself."

a. Remove legend

b. Write the title like a newspaper headline

c. Add explainers (annotations)

4. Avoid the spaghetti chart

"Instead of putting all of the data on one graph, create multiple, smaller versions with variations on the basic data. These are smaller charts that use the same scale, axes, and scope but spread the data across multiple visuals"