The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
(New York: , 2000), 197
Part I: Graphical Practice
Chatper 1: Graphical Excellence
- gives examples of great graphs
Chapter 2: Graphical Integrity
- gives examples of terrible graphs
Follow these principles of graphical integrity:
- The representation of numbers, as physically measured on the surface of the graphic itself, should be directly proportional to the numerical qualities represented (don't lie)
- Clear, detailed, and thorough labelling should be used to defeat graphical distortion and ambiguity. Write out explanations of the data on the graphic itself. Lebel important events in the data.
- Show data variation, not design variation.
- In time-series displays of money, deflated and standardized units of monetary measurement are nearly always better than nominal units.
- The number of information-carrying (variable) dimensions depicted should not exceed the number of dimensions in the data.
- Graphics must not quote data out of context
Part II: Theory of Data Graphics
Chapter 4: Data-Ink
- Above all else show the data.
- Maximize the data-ink ratio.
- Erase non-data-ink.
- Erase redudant data-ink.
- Revise and edit.
Chapter 5: Chartjunk (vibrations, grids, ducks)
Avoid all chartjunk including:
- Vibrations (unnecessary textured filling)
- Grids (altogether if possible, muted behind the data if needed)
- Ducks (unnecessary decorative debris)
Chatper 6: Data-Ink Meximization
- He reviews a number of design principles. I especially like his alternative box-plots which are just the datapoint for mean, and two lines for quartiles.
Chapter 7: Multifunctioning Graphical Elements
Chapter 8: High-Resolution Data Graphics
- For non-data-ink, less is more
- For data-ink, less is a bore
He introduces sparklines and gives some great examples.