Information Graphics

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Information Graphics Visual Displays

• English 3369

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When should you use graphics?

• To show trends and relationships between data
• To clarify raw data by giving a global overview
• To persuade or convince audiences

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What should you display visually?

• Numerical relationships
• Chronological relationships
• Spatial relationships

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Numerical relationships

• Tables (to compare at least two data sets)
• Pie charts (to compare parts to whole)
• Bar charts (to compare multiple data sets)

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Tables
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Pie Charts
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Bar Charts Simple, 100
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Bar Charts Stacked, Horizontal
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Chronological relationships

• Line charts (to show trends over time)
• Flow Gantt charts (to show stages in time)

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Line charts (graphs)

• Depend on shape for meaning
• Precision is not its strong point

Source CNN.com, 3/31/03
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Flow charts
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Gantt charts
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Spatial relationships

• Diagrams
• Sectional
• Cutaway
• Exploded
• Schematic
• Maps
• Political
• Topographical
• Demographic

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Diagram Sectional
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Diagram Cutaway
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DiagramExploded
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DiagramSchematic
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What should be included?

• Title
• Labeling
• Callouts
• Legends
• Text reference
• Number (if more than a couple)
• Caption (if explanation is necessary)
• Source line (if information is borrowed)

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Avoiding distortion

• Graphics should be
• Clear
• Accurate
• Honest
• Common types of distortion
• Axis distortion
• Suppressed Zero
• 3D
• Chartjunk

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DistortionY axis
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DistortionSuppressed Zero
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Distortion Suppressed Zero, Corrected
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Distortion 3D
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Distortion Chartjunk
Source USA Today 2/22/03, 2/26/03
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Distortion Chartjunk
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Tech. Comm. Admissions

• Whats the best way of representing this
  information?
• What are our options?
• What are the circumstances of use?