Assignment 7:
Thinking about graphical
excellence
By: Sarah K. Brooks
Graphical Mediocrity…
Graphical Excellence…
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Over cluttered:

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Unnecessary added part to the
chart.
You can not understand what the
chart is trying to tell you.
Unnecessary 3D charts that make it
hard for the eye to pick up on the
data.

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The way the data is laid out makes
it hard to understand or makes the
data false.
Avoid chart “Ducks”
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Ink to Data ratio!
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These are when a plot of your data
becomes fuller of design elements
than data.
This should be as close to 1:1 as
possible
Serve a clear purpose of one:

description

exploration

tabulation

decoration
Graphical Mediocrity
I find this chart to be an example of graphical
mediocrity.
•
The chart has two vertical lines showing
different dates however the first one says
“history”, what time is “history” supposed
to be. 1000 years ago? 10 minutes ago? Bad
labeling.
•
Each type of energy source is a filled in
line? I’m not sure what the reason for
filling in unless it is to show that it is filled
all the way to the bottom of the chart?
This is a bad way to show Natural gas is
the highest use.
•
Overall I understand that the chart is
trying to show a future projection of
energy sources but the Data/Ink ratio
much higher then 1:1.
Article source:
http://www.iflscience.com/environment/two-studiesshow-fracking-bad-health-embargoed-1700gmt-14th-oct
Graphical Excellence
This chart is my example of graphical excellence.
There are many things I like about this chart.
•
First everything is simple. There is no large
colored in areas or any distractions as a
whole.
•
The line graph showing temperature is simple
with the two line color coded for high and
lows.
•
Nice simple easy-to-read key.
•
It combined multiple pieces of information
without overloading ink.
•
You can easily tell that phoenix has no real
correlation with amount of rain and
temperature. There is a high peak of
temperature and rain at the same time
however.
Article source:
http://www.usclimatedata.com/climate/arizona/unitedstates/3172
Summary of Tufte's “The Cognitive Style of
Powerpoint”
In Tufte’s “The cognitive Style of PowerPoint”, Tufte makes many points. He had
a lot to say about how much he dislikes PowerPoint. He talks about how accept
for the very bad and the very good of presentation skills 80% of people have
difficulties using PowerPoint. He also points about how kids today are getting
their first experiences in presentations on PowerPoint and that is damaging to
their education. They are being taught to present words rather then data on
their topic. There was a large amount of dissecting of PowerPoints’ weaknesses
with NASA and the Columbia accident. He goes into great detail about all of the
distractions the Boeing PowerPoints had with large bullets, unnecessary dashes,
parentheses. How they kept using acronyms without telling what the acronym is.
They over used vigorous but vaguely quantitative words such as “significant”.
Tufte’s whole thought is that you don’t need all of this pretty over worked, fancy
looking presentation. You need a presentation that gets the information out
correctly and efficiently.