Comments on: 6 Easy Steps to Make Your Graph (Really) Ugly http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/ Strength in Numbers Fri, 19 Mar 2010 11:10:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: OlderThanDirt http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-32070 OlderThanDirt Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:19:13 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-32070 Your references to graphs and graphing are so 2008! Have you been comatosing on Propofol in Google screen whitespace or what? Nobody GRAPHS anymore, we DASHBOARD now. Dash it all, didn't you get the iPhone app d/l from the satellite? How are top echelon leaders and motivators in my company supposed to operate executive decision support systems without driving permissioned and personalized enterprise portals replete with sparklines, key performance indicators, balanced scorecards and traffic lights? Wake up and listen to the Twitter! We're living in the post-future now. Oops, gotta go, Jorge Jetson just messaged his retinal scan direct to my hypothalamus. So long, been fun, HSM4 4-ever! Your references to graphs and graphing are so 2008! Have you been comatosing on Propofol in Google screen whitespace or what? Nobody GRAPHS anymore, we DASHBOARD now. Dash it all, didn’t you get the iPhone app d/l from the satellite? How are top echelon leaders and motivators in my company supposed to operate executive decision support systems without driving permissioned and personalized enterprise portals replete with sparklines, key performance indicators, balanced scorecards and traffic lights? Wake up and listen to the Twitter! We’re living in the post-future now. Oops, gotta go, Jorge Jetson just messaged his retinal scan direct to my hypothalamus. So long, been fun, HSM4 4-ever!

]]> By: Phil Dubuc http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31714 Phil Dubuc Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:48:09 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31714 Interesting article. Almost had a seizure going through those charts. Weirdly enough, I found this article via google while searching for 'good' charts... For those who are interested, also found <a href="nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph" rel="nofollow"> National Center for Education</a> website. Which seems to be the most popular. And <a href="http://www.chartgo.com" rel="nofollow"> ChartGo</a> They're both pretty useful. Interesting article. Almost had a seizure going through those charts. Weirdly enough, I found this article via google while searching for ‘good’ charts…

For those who are interested, also found National Center for Education website. Which seems to be the most popular. And ChartGo They’re both pretty useful.

]]> By: interactive visualizationist VS infographicist | Erqiudao http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31198 interactive visualizationist VS infographicist | Erqiudao Tue, 23 Jun 2009 03:29:53 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31198 [...] http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/ [...] [...] http://flowingdata.com/2009/06.....ally-ugly/ [...]

]]> By: Stefan http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31060 Stefan Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:10:36 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31060 Good post but you are missing one important aspect. Often color can give your chart more value in the meaning of significance. An example can explain this better: If you want to tell your audience that most people are interested in statistics this statement could be underlined by a bar colored differently to the others. Stefan Good post but you are missing one important aspect. Often color can give your chart more value in the meaning of significance.

An example can explain this better: If you want to tell your audience that most people are interested in statistics this statement could be underlined by a bar colored differently to the others.

Stefan

]]> By: ToolBlog » Beispiele zur Präsentation http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31055 ToolBlog » Beispiele zur Präsentation Wed, 17 Jun 2009 06:29:25 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31055 [...] Ihnen, wie Sie Diagramme garantiert so gestalten, dass der Betrachter sich mit Grausen abwendet: 6 Easy Steps to Make Your Graph (Really) Ugly. Sie können die “Tipps” leicht auf Powerpoint [...] [...] Ihnen, wie Sie Diagramme garantiert so gestalten, dass der Betrachter sich mit Grausen abwendet: 6 Easy Steps to Make Your Graph (Really) Ugly. Sie können die “Tipps” leicht auf Powerpoint [...]

]]> By: redhairing http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31052 redhairing Wed, 17 Jun 2009 02:37:42 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31052 This is Junkcharts backwards--there they take an actual (bad) graph and explain how to make it work This is Junkcharts backwards–there they take an actual (bad) graph and explain how to make it work

]]> By: dinesh dave http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31048 dinesh dave Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:28:34 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31048 That last image is SO HILARIOUS That last image is SO HILARIOUS

]]> By: Scott Drzyzga http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31044 Scott Drzyzga Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:05:14 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31044 Excellent post - very informative. The user comments cover all the missing design elements that could truly bury your data under a heap of chart junk (e.g., textures, gradient fills, drop shadows). I can add only three more: use areal symbols to represent values on a linear scale; invent a text hierarchy that conflicts directly with average readers method of reading; and include a title that is larger than your graph (48 pt or larger). 'Comic Sans is like the Sarah Palin of fonts' - that's awesome Mike! Excellent post – very informative. The user comments cover all the missing design elements that could truly bury your data under a heap of chart junk (e.g., textures, gradient fills, drop shadows). I can add only three more: use areal symbols to represent values on a linear scale; invent a text hierarchy that conflicts directly with average readers method of reading; and include a title that is larger than your graph (48 pt or larger).

‘Comic Sans is like the Sarah Palin of fonts’ – that’s awesome Mike!

]]> By: pd130 http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31040 pd130 Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:53:35 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31040 A really dark background is <i>de riguer</i> these days; that repeating graphic thing someone mentioned above is a fine approach, so long as it's <i>dark</i>. This will have the devilish clever effect of making your graph all but impossible to read unless it is printed out, and simultaneously as expensive as a mortgage actually to do so. Extra credit given for a color choice that is all but indistinguishable by a typical monochrome printer from the dominant foreground colors. Readers will spread palm fronds in your path! A really dark background is de riguer these days; that repeating graphic thing someone mentioned above is a fine approach, so long as it’s dark.

This will have the devilish clever effect of making your graph all but impossible to read unless it is printed out, and simultaneously as expensive as a mortgage actually to do so. Extra credit given for a color choice that is all but indistinguishable by a typical monochrome printer from the dominant foreground colors.

Readers will spread palm fronds in your path!

]]> By: Friendless http://flowingdata.com/2009/06/15/6-easy-steps-to-make-your-graph-really-ugly/#comment-31034 Friendless Tue, 16 Jun 2009 05:42:00 +0000 http://flowingdata.com/?p=1706#comment-31034 Umm... shouldn't the original have been a pie chart in the first place? Umm… shouldn’t the original have been a pie chart in the first place?

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