What are the palette types, and how to choose the right one? — Color is a powerful tool when visualizing data but used excessively or incorrectly, it will ruin your work and cause confusion in your audience. Therefore, we should make color choices thoughtfully and keep in mind how human perception works. In this article, I’ll focus on palette types and how to…

There are three color palettes used in data visualization: categorical, sequential, and diverging. Each one has its proper use and goes with a different data type. So if you are not sure what the differences are, I recommend taking a step back and checking this article first. The sequential palette…

How NOT to use pie charts, line charts, and bar charts — You probably have seen some charts that seem to look okay, but there is something strange with them. They are either hard to understand or they deliver misleading insight. I guess each one of us has a chart like this in our portfolio. I was going through my old work…

Dashboard Design Guidelines not only for beginners — First of all, I have to disappoint you, there is no such thing as the perfect dashboard. With that out of the way, let me help you create a well-designed dashboard then. 10 Dashboard Design Principles There are many types of dashboards based on role, type of displayed data, data area, data span, or…

#36: Chart’s purpose — Data visualization is a powerful tool that allows us to present complex information clearly and concisely. However, not all charts are created equal. We must follow a strategic approach to harness the power of purpose in our charts and take them from good to great. The first step is to…

#35: Misleading color-coding — In data visualization, where information speaks through visual cues, the choice and application of colors play a vital role in conveying insights effectively. And consistent color coding is a critical element in ensuring clarity. It helps quickly grasp patterns and identify categories. …

#34: Key Message — Getting straight to the point is crucial in a world flooded with endless information and fleeting attention spans. When we eliminate unnecessary fluff and tangents, we enable our audience to absorb critical information without being burdened by irrelevant details. …

#33: Icon chart alternative — Using an icon chart is tricky because the interpretation is not intuitive. Some people might compare the change in the area and others in the radius; therefore, the assessed value can differ significantly. Moreover, Cleveland and McGill’s study shows that assessment of the change in area is less accurate than…

#32: Label formatting — We rarely see data from different sources presented in a single chart. Consolidating and presenting the information insightfully without overloading the reader with too many details is challenging. We must accept that some simplifications are inevitable to keep the chart clean and understandable. Otherwise, we risk creating chaos. One way…