Tips to Create UsefulTips to Create Useful and Beautiful Visualizations

Tell a story!1 yProfitablevs.UnprofitableIPOs

IPO Decade: Every viz should tell a 

12000s1990s1980s

Day Since IPO:0 800

150%

O*

110%153%

ystory. As you create your visualization, make sure to continually ask, “What story does this tell?”0 to 800

100%

rage

Ret

urn

Sinc

e IP

O

86%

89% Profitable at IPONot profitable

Profitable

story does this tell?

This viz shows us that companies that IPO’d 

50%Ave

39%36%

after reaching profitability were far more successful in the long run

0 255 510 765

Trading Days Since IPO

0%Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

long run.

Orient text horizontally2 y

IL OH

Unfunded Pension Liability by State

2

600K

800K

200K

400K

0K

Sometimes the small changes make all the difference in understanding

Avoid pies! Except on maps…3 p p p

Age Group

Can you tell which slice is largest? RegionEast

Graffiti by Precinct and Resolution

3g p

0-15 16-24 25-40 41-64 65+South

West

Age Group

0-15 16-24 25-40 41-64 65+50%

This is the same information represented as bars. Comparisons are much easier.

20%

30%

40%

rcen

t of T

otal

Use

rs

0%

10%

Per

Bar charts beat pies every time! The human eye can compare height

But… pies can be effective on maps.The same comparison problem existsThe human eye can compare height 

much easier than area.The same comparison problem exists, but pies allow analysis in small spaces.

Use multiple views4 p---0 ---1 ---2 ---3 ---4 ---5 ---6 ---7 ---8 ---9

10%

12%

Unemployment by Decade and Year Highlight Decade:1940's

1950's

1960's

4

4%

6%

8%

10% 1970's

1980's

1990's

2000's

0%

2%

12% September 1983January 2009

Month over Month

4%

6%

8%

10%

Average= 5.6%

py

Source: Bureau of L..-1,000K -500K 0K 500K 1,000KChange in Employment from Prior Month

0%

2%

Average= 116K

Use two coordinated views to show depth, rather than trying to place everything into one view. 

Bullets beat Gauges5 g5

>

Besides being difficult to read, gauges take up tons of space. Use bullets charts!

Increase effectiveness with color66

The human eye can detect subtle differences in color much faster than it can read subtle diff i i l !differences in text. Using color saves on space too!

But not too many colors at once7 yDistrict of Columbia Crimespotting

OFFENSEHOMICIDE

7HOMICIDE

ADW

ROBBERY

SEX ABUSE

ARSON

BURGLARYBURGLARY

STOLEN AUTO

THEFT

THEFT F/AUTO

About Tableau maps: www.tableausoftware.com/mapdata

Using more than 10 colors can cause them to blend together and confuse.This view is only using 8 colors but it is still difficult to differentiate the greensThis view is only using 8 colors, but it is still difficult to differentiate the greens.

Labels make it clear88

Pro

fit

2007

2008

2009

2010

Labels are wonderful for calling out key data points and actions

Make it interactive!99

Enable filters highlighting and clicking for more detail toEnable filters, highlighting and clicking for more detail to supercharge the usefulness of your visualization

No ornamentation necessary10 y10

This viz shows the National Activity Index. Not exactly exciting stuff. Yet, this simple visualization tells a story and does it without ornamentation or added presentation layersvisualization tells a story and does it without ornamentation or added presentation layers. 

Let the data tell the story!