- Be driven by content and data, not display method.
- Label linking lines if there are relationships
- Boxes are not necessary
- Goal is to zero out the interface; should be all content
- Story
- Credibility
- Let viewer scan and scroll
- Minimize linking/stacking
- Use resolution of real life
- Graphics can be anywhere
- Sparklines are an excellent tool. Built into Excel 2010.
- Order by content, not alpha
- Eliminate legends/codes where possible
- Design and present for highest denominator
Making Reports
1. Find good examples and copy
- Google Images
- Text, tables, maps
- Public Library of Science templates
- Look at the Journal of Nature
2. Use performance data
- Tables w little data
- Graphics w lots of data
- Avoid lines/stripes/grids
- Trebuchet or gil sans font
- There is no such thing as info overload, only lousy design
- Think sports section as model
- Use executive summaries for micro/macro (w less jargon)
Challenges: flatland (dimension) and resolution
Name your work (individually, not by team/dept)
Design principles 1) Causality; 2) comparison; 3) multivariate complexity; 4) integrate words, numbers, images, diagrams; 5) thoroughly describe evidence; 6) content counts most of all (quality, relevance, integrity); 7) do important things adjacent in space
I asked Tufte how one knows which data to look at in their multivariate analysis. His answer: "you have an idea" ... Too many analysts, he said, don't have ideas and therefore look at everything.
I asked him education measures in particular. He said that when he consulted for IBM they used to say that if there was no practical application for something it must be for education.
Read, present, then allow time for questions and answers
Many square inches, many pixels per square inch = analysis (ie multiple monitors)
Small multiple technique (a la sunspots)
Presenting data
- Give people something to read
- High resolution paper for now iPad later
- 11 x 17 ideal
- Supergraphic on one side
- Sparklines and/or small multiples on back
- Presenter goes through same material (annotations or highlights)
- Press conference (Question and Answer)
