10 Tips for Presenting Data

@michelejkiss
Ten Tips for Presenting Data
Michele Kiss, Analytics Demystified

@michelejkiss
Before we begin …

@michelejkiss
the principles of
data visualisation
are tool agnostic
1

@michelejkiss
your vendors
violate them
constantly
2

@michelejkiss
#1: Recognize That Presentation MATTERS!

@michelejkiss
It’s Not Optional

@michelejkiss
Gone (Should Be) The Days Of

@michelejkiss
Why spend
the time
to make it
‘pretty’?Source: Flickr / Søren Rajczyk

@michelejkiss
Because it’s
not about pretty.
@michelejkiss© 2017 Analytics Demystiﬁed. All Rights Reserved.

@michelejkiss
It’s about being
UNDERSTOOD

@michelejkiss
“Why should we be interested in visualization?
Because the human visual system is a pattern
seeker of enormous power and subtlety…
However, the visual system has its own rules.
We can easily see patterns presented in
certain ways, but if they are presented in other
ways, they become invisible.
Following perception-based rules, we can
present our data in such a way that the
important and informative patterns stand out.
If we disobey the rules, our data will be
incomprehensible or misleading.” - Colin Ware

@michelejkiss
“Why should we be interested in visualization?
Because the human visual system is a pattern seeker of
enormous power and subtlety… However, the visual system
has its own rules.
We can easily see patterns presented in
certain ways, but if they are presented in other ways, they
become invisible.
Following perception-based rules, we can present our data in
such a way that the important and informative
patterns stand out.
If we disobey the rules, our data will be incomprehensible or
misleading.” - Colin Ware

@michelejkiss
Analyst
=
Information
Architect

@michelejkiss
This is not about art.This is not about art.
IT’S ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE.IT’S ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE.

@michelejkiss
Optimizing the Memory funnel
Short-Term Memory
3-9 “Chunks” of
Visual Info
Long-Term Memory
Iconic Memory
(Visual Sensory Register)

@michelejkiss
Iconic Memory
PRE-attentive processing
We process, without conscious
thought. Things stand out,
objects get grouped together.

@michelejkiss
Short-Term Memory
3-9 “Chunks” of
Visual Info
Iconic Memory
Very limited capacity
Information discarded if not
considered useful
Aim to fit more into each “chunk”

@michelejkiss
Short-Term Memory
3-9 “Chunks” of
Visual Info
Long-Term Memory
Iconic Memory
Goal: Retain meaningful
information (not precise
details)

@michelejkiss
“Chunking” Data
We do it every day…
Hi, it’s Michele, call me
back – my number is
650-690-2805

@michelejkiss
How easy is it to “chunk” this?
J-15 F-15 M-15 A-15 M-15 J-15 J-15 A-15 S-15 O-15 N-15 D-15
Group A 2% 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 3%
Group B 20% 15% 12% 10% 5% 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4%

@michelejkiss
How easy is it to “chunk” this?
J-15 F-15 M-15 A-15 M-15 J-15 J-15 A-15 S-15 O-15 N-15 D-15
Group A 2% 2% 3% 2% 2% 2% 3% 2% 3% 2% 3% 3%
Group B 20% 15% 12% 10% 5% 6% 5% 5% 5% 5% 4% 4%
vs.this
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
J-15 A-15 J-15 O-15 J-16 A-16 J-16 O-16 J-17
Group A Group B

@michelejkiss
Your Goal (As An Analyst)
Make people think
about what they’re going to do
not
think, “What does this mean?”

@michelejkiss
Source: jobvine.co.za

@michelejkiss
Source: jobvine.co.za
Source: junkcharts.com

@michelejkiss
>Informative
Beautiful

@michelejkiss
#2 Don’t Scare With Numbers

@michelejkiss
Analysts like numbers.
Not everyone does!

@michelejkiss
Making Numbers More Friendly
Include necessary commas
1,000,000
not
1000000

@michelejkiss
Include necessary commas
1,000,000
not
1000000
(Don’t make me count zeros!!!)memesuper.com

@michelejkiss
Skip unnecessary decimals

@michelejkiss
(Include necessary ones)

@michelejkiss
Skip Unnecessary Decimals
Estimated
Revenue Impact:
$1,389,029.13

@michelejkiss
Estimated Revenue Impact:
$1,389,029.13
Estimated
Revenue Impact:
$1,389,029.13
REALLY?!

@michelejkiss
Estimated Revenue Impact:
$1,389,029.13
Estimated
Revenue Impact:
$1.4MM

@michelejkiss
Precision ≠ Accuracy

@michelejkiss
Always right-align
Operating
System Visits
Android 2,319
iOS 726
Linux 236
RIM 1,289
Symbian 298
Unknown 955,049
Windows 145
Operating
System Visits
Android 2,319
iOS 726
Linux 236
RIM 1,289
Symbian 298
Unknown 955,049
Windows 145

@michelejkiss
Always right-align
Operating
System Visits
Android 2,319
iOS 726
Linux 236
RIM 1,289
Symbian 298
Unknown 955,049
Windows 145
Allows your data to
form a “quasi”
bar chart!

@michelejkiss
#3: Maximize the Data-Pixel Ratio
# of non-white pixels
devoted to data display
Total non-white pixels

@michelejkiss
Or, just pretend
you’re really stingy
with printer ink.

@michelejkiss
Avoid repetition

@michelejkiss
Remove
borders
Condense axes
Horizontal is
easier to read

@michelejkiss
Grey gridlinesRemove
unnecessary
legends

@michelejkiss
#4: Save 3D For The Movies

@michelejkiss
Slightly over $150,000
Slightly over $150,000…
but you have to work
to figure that out…

@michelejkiss
Rule #4B
there’s an
exception
to every
rule

@michelejkiss
When is 3D okay?

@michelejkiss
If More Accurately Tells The Story

@michelejkiss
#5 Friends Don’t Let Friends Use
PIE CHARTSPIE CHARTS

@michelejkiss
Why Pie Charts Fail
Not parts of a whole

@michelejkiss
Why Pie Charts Fail
They human brain can’t judge the size
difference in 2-dimensional areas very well

@michelejkiss
Why Pie Charts Fail
Too many pieces

@michelejkiss
Acceptable Pie Charts

@michelejkiss
Don’t worry
There are also
bad NON-pie
charts

@michelejkiss
Where A Map Makes Sense

@michelejkiss
Please, just stop…

@michelejkiss
Remember Rule #4B
there’s an
exception
to every
rule

@michelejkiss
When Are Pie Charts Okay?
Minimal items (<3)
A
B
C

@michelejkiss
Parts of a whole
75%
20%
5%
A
B
C

@michelejkiss
One only (no comparison required)

@michelejkiss
If you need to compare…

@michelejkiss
When they are
(really, truly)
the best way
to visualize the data

@michelejkiss

@michelejkiss
#6: Choose the Appropriate Chart
What message do you want to convey?
What is the one take-away?

@michelejkiss
Line Charts To Emphasize a Trend

@michelejkiss
You Can Highlight Specific Points

@michelejkiss
Bar/Column To Emphasize Differences
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
Russia Portugal Germany France UK USA
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000 3,500 4,000
Portugal
Germany
Russia
UK
France
USA

@michelejkiss
Limited Space = Sparklines
View pricing
Get a quote
Visit Support
Chat with Sales

@michelejkiss
Tables of Numbers Can Be Graphical

@michelejkiss
Tables of Numbers Can Be Graphical
bit.ly/googlesparklines

@michelejkiss
#6: Choose the Appropriate Chart
Extreme Presentation: Choosing A Good Chart
Anne Kemery: Chart Chooser
Juice Analytics: Chart Chooser

@michelejkiss
#7: Don’t Mix Chart Types For No Reason
Is there a
reason this is a
line chart?

@michelejkiss
Two metrics shouldn’t be put together just to
“fit them on a chart”
Putting them on a chart together
should tell a story or
reveal insights
that separating them does not.

@michelejkiss
Why did I mix series types?
Showing they trend similarly.

@michelejkiss
Instead of this…

@michelejkiss
An Alternative
High volume
AND high
CTR

@michelejkiss
#8: Don’t Use Axes To Mislead

@michelejkiss
Y-axis distorted to make differences
look more significant

@michelejkiss
Different months chosen
in each year to mislead

@michelejkiss
Did you know that 8.6%
is more than 8.8%?!

@michelejkiss
Most truthful: Start at zero
If you need to show (not inflate)
differences, consider a “second view”
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
8.0%
8.2%
8.4%
8.6%
8.8%
9.0%
9.2%
9.4%
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov

@michelejkiss
#9: Never Rely Solely on Colour

@michelejkiss
9% 0.5%
are colourblind

@michelejkiss
(And it’s not all red/green!)

@michelejkiss
(And all black-and-white printers are
“colour-blind”)

@michelejkiss
(And all black-and-white printers are
“colour-blind”)
Red or
Green?

@michelejkiss
Doesn’t mean no red/green
(It’s an easily understood colour scheme)
Just make sure it’s understood by
black+white and colour-blind

@michelejkiss
(And be aware of cultural differences)
red Mourning (South Africa)
Celebration (China)
yellow
Cheery, warm (USA)
Betrayal (France)
Pornography (China)
Rank/Wealth (Africa, Japan)
blue
Sadness “the blues” (USA)
Safety/Protection (Middle East)
Holiness (Judaism)
green
Nature/Environment (USA)
Good luck (Ireland)
Death (South America)

@michelejkiss
#10: Use Colour With Intention
Meaningless:

@michelejkiss
Or As I Like To Call It

@michelejkiss
Brand colours:

@michelejkiss
Match series colours on multiple charts:

@michelejkiss
Data Studio only recently added this!

@michelejkiss
Co-ordinate series
colour with axes colour

@michelejkiss
#11: This Applies to Dashboards, too!
DASHBOARDS should follow
all the basic data visualization rules…
…Plus one important rule

@michelejkiss
Visual display
of the
most important information
needed to achieve objectives,
which fits
entirely on one screen
so it can be
monitored at a glance.
– Stephen Few
What is a Dashboard?

@michelejkiss
Why One Page?
Short-Term Memory
3-9 “Chunks” of
Visual Info
Long-Term Memory
Iconic Memory
Don’t overestimate this
system! Work with
people’s natural ability

@michelejkiss
This is NOT a Dashboard!

@michelejkiss
Recommended Reading

@michelejkiss
Michele Kiss
Senior Partner, Analytics Demystified
michele@analyticsdemystified.com

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