Post on 10-May-2015
CHARTJUNKELIMINATING
Above all else, show the data.“ ”Edward Tu!e
Photograph: Buzz Anderson
Source: Kouchoukos et al., The New England Journal of Medicine, 1994
You can't possibly communicate big data accurately if you can't handle small data first.“ ”Naomi Robbins
Never, ever use pie charts.
[Piecharts] have no place in the world of grownups, and occupy the same semiotic space as short pants, a runny nose, and chocolate smeared on one’s face.
“”Coda Hale
Percentage of the USA’s power supply
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
Coal
Nuclear
Natural gas
HydroOil
Other
Bar charts are better, but still can be tricky.
0
12.5
25
37.5
50
Percentage of the USA’s power supply
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
3-D charts are irredeemably terrible.
3-D is a waste of a perfectly good dimension.“ ”Roger Ebert
TURN A BORING BAR GRAPH INTO A 3D MASTERPIECE!
Brazil
Russia
Canada
USA
China
India
Columbia
Peru
Zaire
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000km3/y
Canada
Renewable water resources, by country
Source: Shiklomanov and Rodda, 2003
02,000
4,0006,000
Brazil
Russia
Canada
USA
China
India
Columbia
Peru
Zaire
km3/y
Renewable water resources, by country
Source: Shiklomanov and Rodda, 2003
Chartjunk refers to all visual elements in charts and graphs that are not necessary to comprehend the information represented on the graph, or that distract the viewer from this information
data : ink
Data-ink is the non-erasable core of a graphic, the non-redundant ink arranged in response to variation in the numbers represented.
“”Edward Tu!e
0
2500
5000
7500
10000
Texa
s
Iow
a
Cali
forn
ia
Was
hing
ton
Min
neso
ta
Ore
gon
Illin
ois
New
York
Col
orad
o
Nor
th D
akot
a
1,2031,2441,2741,5571,7581,8101,8492,798
3,604
9,403
Win
d en
ergy
cap
acit
y (M
W)
State
Installed wind capacity in the United States
Art of Scientific Presentations, March 31, 2011
Source: American Wind Energy Association
0
2,500
5,000
7,500
10,000
Texas Iowa California Washington Minnesota Oregon Illinois New York Colorado North Dakota
Installed wind capacity (megawa!s)
Dark grid lines are chartjunk. They carry no information, clu!er up the graphic, and generate graphic activity unrelated to data information.
“” Edward Tu!e
Furthermore, of all methods for analyzing and communicating statistical information, well-designed data graphics are usually the simplest and at the same time the most powerful.
“”Edward Tu!e
April 6Prepare 5 slides that you intend to use in your Pecha Kucha presentation, and bring them to class for informal discussion.
April 6Je"rey FalkAssistant Director, University News Service
April 20Have dra# versions of your Pecha Kucha presentations ready to deliver in practice runs (to an audience of one or two partners).