Dos and Donts of Data Visualization Techniques
Enhance your data presentation skills with dos and donts guidelines for measurement improvement. Learn about starting the x-axis at zero, presenting data in tables effectively, highlighting important information, and avoiding common pitfalls like using pie charts. Discover best practices for interpreting percentages, calculating averages, and setting upper limits on scale bars for clearer data communication.
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Image result for dos and donts Do s and Don ts of Measment for Improvement
Do: Start the X-axis at Zero (Bar Charts) The difference between the two columns is just under 18% - yet the 7 million plus column is almost three times the height of the 6 million column
Presenting data in tables Image result for dos and donts Jan 1 5 4 Feb 5 Mar 4 Apr 9 May 2 Jun Hospital A Hospital B Hospital C Hospital D 4 4 1 9 7 8 7 If the value is zero, Do show it If there is no data available, then say no data available With empty cells, it is impossible to know which of the two scenarios above apply. Jan 1 5 4 0 Feb 5 0 4 1 Mar 4 0 0 7 Apr 9 0 9 0 May 2 0 7 8 Jun 0 4 0 0 Image result for dos and donts Hospital A Hospital B Hospital C Hospital D No blank cells
Do: Highlight whats important Tell one story. Don t over-complicate unnecessarily.
Dont: use pie charts It is difficult for us to interpret pie charts accurately Tufte: the only worse design than a pie chart is several of them.
e.g. The number of Female and Male TDs Q: How many Female TDs were elected to the 30th Dail (2007)? A: 18 B: 19 C: 20 D: 22
Percentages The rate of surgical site infection decreased from 10% to 5% Q: Is this (a) a 5% decrease (b) a 5% increase (c) a 50% decrease (d) a 100% decrease
Dont: calculate the average of the averages Each average (or mean) is already a calculation Note: for this reason, it is always important to store all your raw data, not just the average values.
% on a scale bar If it is not possible to get more than 100%, then don t have the upper limit of the scale bar at >100%
Calculating percentages Change from 6% to 10% (10-6)/6*100 = 66.6% Increase Change from 10% to 6% (10-6)/10*100 = 40% Decrease
Line graphs Try and have your data in the middle third of the graph. This rule would be overwritten by the need to use the same scale on a number of graphs that you present together
Using Colours in charts Use different colours for different categories rather than for different values in a range Don t use too many colours on a single chart (ideally use 6 or less) If the chart is to be included in a printed document or report, don t rely on how it looks on a computer screen test print to make sure the colours are distinguishable in print.
