When trying to visualise our data, the aim is to get our message across in a simple and concise way. An important thing to consider when trying to get to this end point is what elements we have control over on the 'page'. Just because the final product is simple, doesn't mean that there shouldn't be careful consideration over what we do, and don't, include in our graph of choice. Likewise, just because there are a lot of elements we can include and customise, it doesn't mean we always should.
So, what are some elements we can control when designing our graphs and charts?
- Data fields - what variables are we actually including in our visualisation.
- Text - anything from titles, subtitles, labels, axis titles, annotation.
- Mark types
- Colour
- Reference lines
- Shape
- Orientation
- Grid lines
- Interactivity
- Animation
and the list goes on...
This is an example of what a basic sketch for a bar chart could look like prior to building the chart in Tableau. By looking at this sketch, it may appear that we only have a handful of elements that we can control, such as the title, the chart type, and the scale for our sales.
However, the plan for this bar chart could take many more elements into consideration during the planning stage. Below is an example of the changes we could make or elements we may consider whilst planning the final chart.
The labels in black show us the elements we have included/choices we have made when planning our chart. The labels in red indicate some of the additional elements we could have considered in our planning process. This is not an exhaustive list, but it helps put into perspective the amount of control we have when deciding how to show our data.
Don't forget, what we do and don't include in our final iteration should be closely linked to the key message we are trying to communicate as well as our audience!