Best Practices Title in Data Visualization VictorAndrei Lupescu

Best Practices. Title in Data Visualization Victor-Andrei Lupăescu victor. lupaescu@softvision. ro

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Start with Questions What are you trying to say? Who is your audience? What questions do they have? What answers do you find for them? What other questions does it inspire? What conversations will result? Your viewers should take something away from the time they spend with your visualization

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Trends over Time Choose the chart depending on what you want to highlight.

Trends over Time Heatmaps are useful when you have 2 time dimensions.

Comparisons and Ranking Always use bar charts for comparisons and ranking

Comparisons to a Target/Prediction Bullet charts are useful for comparisons against a target or a prediction.

Part to Whole

Part to Whole Don’t use pie charts (or donut charts, or any other tasty chart)! Bars are better.

Correlations

Correlations Scatter plots usually work best when you don’t have a time dimension. Otherwise, use combo charts.

Distribution Use Box-and-Whisker or Histograms

Geographical Data Pair maps with other charts for details.

Number Call-outs You have to supply adequate context for the data

Enrich your Charts Improve showing data by using: • Variations in timing (YTD, WTD, QTD, MTD, Yesterday, Today) • Comparisons: compare to a similar period, to a target, to a prediction, projection into the future based on current situation, to other metrics. • Evaluations: KPIs: simple visual indicators