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).