Magnificent Publications is often asked to create publications that present data clearly and effectively. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be discussing some of the classic guidelines on the subject from a leading authority on data presentation, Edward Tufte.
In presenting information, it is important to draw the audience’s eye to the important relationships involved. This means drawing contrasts that are clear enough to represent those relationships without being so overwhelming that they draw attention to themselves.
Tufte calls this the design strategy of the “smallest effective difference”:
In designing information…the idea is to use just notable differences, visual elements that make a clear difference but no more—contrasts that are definite, effective, and minimal.
Two maps illustrate this principle. The first shows variations in ocean depth with with strongly contrasting colors: green, blue, yellow, orange, and red. The result is, as Tufte describes it, “incoherent.”
In contrast, the map below shows variations in ocean depth as varying shades of blue. Small differences, but effective.
(Based on maps in Visual Explanations.)
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[...] The essence of this guideline, is don't overdo it. So as we discuss ways to control emphasis, remember that the goal is to be subtle, to emphasize with what Edward Tufte refers to as the smallest effective difference. [...]