Bella consults

Dogs hear quite well. Sometimes they read minds. Some designers think: “What boring numbers. It’s nothing to write home about.” Others believe: “If there is nothing to illustrate, what am I a designer for?” Information designers don’t listen to that. They are deaf when it comes to graphical rubbish, fashionable fuss and decoration. In case the numbers are boring they look for better ones. If there are none, boredom is the message. Not everything is a scandal, a mess or noteworthy. Brilliant information design is apparent in the terrific work of Megan Jaegerman.

An example: next time

Visualization often focuses on changes in shares which are compared to a total. Stacked column graphs which add up to 100 % are a common chart type. But not for more than three shares at once. Readability is becoming too bad. Even three cause problems.

Shares of channels for selling used cars: used car dealers, new car dealers and private

My eye has to grasp the height of the top-most columns from the top down. The columns in the middle are even worse. My eye keeps jumping up and down to grasp their height. The source of the problem: the top line symbolizes 100 %. This is also plain to any reader, if I tell him beforehand that everything adds up to 100 %. Thus, no need to focus the design of the graph on this convention.

Option 1: Columns in a Graphic Table

Option 2: Sparklines in a Graphic Table