How do you use visual cues to make your data pop?

3 How to use shapes as visual cues?

Shapes can be an effective visual cue to make your data stand out. Simple and familiar shapes that are easy to recognize and understand, such as circles, squares, triangles, or stars, can represent data points or icons. Different shapes can also be used to show differences, categories, or types, while similar shapes can show similarities, relationships, or patterns. Additionally, size and orientation can be used to show values, proportions, or directions. However, it is important to avoid using too many shapes or shapes that are too complex, too small, or too crowded as it can make your data cluttered and unclear.

4 How to use positions as visual cues?

Positions are an effective visual cue that can make your data stand out. Positions refer to the locations of data points or elements on the chart or page, and can be used to show spatial relationships, distributions, or alignments. To use positions as visual cues, consider using the Cartesian coordinate system (x-axis and y-axis) to show two variables or dimensions, such as a scatter plot to show the relationship between height and weight or a line chart to show the change over time. The polar coordinate system (angle and radius) can be used to display circular or radial data, like a pie chart to show the percentage of a whole or a radar chart to show the performance of multiple attributes. Additionally, you can use the grid or map to showcase geographic or spatial data, like a choropleth map to show the density of a variable by region or a dot plot to show the frequency of a variable by location. Lastly, you can use alignment or proximity to demonstrate connections, groups, or hierarchies; for example, a flow chart to show the steps of a process or a tree map to show the breakdown of a category.

5 How to use labels as visual cues?

Labels are an effective visual cue that can make your data stand out. They are texts that accompany the data points or elements, providing names, values, units, titles, captions, or annotations. Labels can help explain, clarify, or emphasize your data. To make the most of them, ensure your labels are clear and concise; descriptive and catchy; consistent and appropriate; contrasting and visible; and not too numerous or long. Having too many labels or labels that are too small or overlapping can make your data look crowded and illegible.

6 How to use animations as visual cues?

Animations can be used to make data more engaging and visually appealing. Animations are movements or changes of data points or elements over time or space, which can show dynamics, transitions, or interactions. When using animations as visual cues, it's important to keep them simple and smooth, so they are natural and intuitive. Additionally, animations should be meaningful and purposeful, relevant and informative, interactive and responsive, as well as consistent and appropriate. Too many animations or animations that are too fast, too slow, or too distracting can make data confusing or overwhelming for the audience.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?