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Improving Graph Readability by Eliminating Chart Junk
- 3. This graph is readable.. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate
- 4. ..but takes a bit of time to understand. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate
- 5. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 3D is a real gimmick Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate
- 6. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate These lines clutter the view
- 7. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Sloping text takes a bit longer to read Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate
- 8. If we remove the chart junk, you’ll be able to read the graph quicker.
- 9. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate Dump the 3D effects
- 10. 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Black on white is easier to Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate read
- 11. Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 ACT New Zealand Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party Ban1080 Conservative Democrats for Social Credit Focus New Zealand Green Party Internet MANA Labour Party Māori Party National Party New Zealand First Party NZ Independent Coalition The Civilian Party United Future Wellington Central Electorate Horizontal text is quicker to read than angled text
- 12. Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 National Party Green Party Labour Party New Zealand First Party Internet MANA Conservative Māori Party ACT New Zealand United Future Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party The Civilian Party Ban1080 NZ Independent Coalition Focus New Zealand Democrats for Social Credit Wellington Central Electorate Size order is quicker to read for this graph than alphabetical
- 13. Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 166 144 79 34 26 10 4 2 2 1 68 385 2423 3451 4278 National Party Green Party Labour Party New Zealand First Party Internet MANA Conservative Māori Party ACT New Zealand United Future Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party The Civilian Party Ban1080 NZ Independent Coalition Focus New Zealand Democrats for Social Credit Wellington Central Electorate You can show the values without clutter
- 14. Before: 4500 4000 3500 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 Wellington Central Electorate
- 15. After: Ordinary votes cast before Election Day 2014 166 144 79 34 26 10 4 2 2 1 68 385 2423 3451 4278 National Party Green Party Labour Party New Zealand First Party Internet MANA Conservative Māori Party ACT New Zealand United Future Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party The Civilian Party Ban1080 NZ Independent Coalition Focus New Zealand Democrats for Social Credit Wellington Central Electorate
- 16. Eliminating chart junk improves a graph’s ‘data-ink ratio’ – a term coined by Edward Tufte in the 1980s.
- 17. It’s the ratio of data-ink to non-data-ink. The better the ratio, the easier the graph is to read.
- 18. With flashy, distracting Excel graphs only a click away, chart junk and the data-ink ratio are useful concepts to keep in mind.
- 19. For more information try: Edward Tufte Stephen Few Stephanie Evergreen
- 20. Feedback welcomed. Cheers Kay kay.e.baxter@gmail.com