Encoding Quantitative Data Inaccurately

Sometimes graphical representations of quantitative data are mistakenly designed in ways that display inaccurate values. In Figure 3-25, for instance, the quantitative scale along the vertical axis was improperly set for a graph that encodes data in the form of bars. The length of a bar represents its quantitative value. The bars in this graph that represent revenue and costs for the month of January suggest that revenue was about four times costs. An examination of the scale, however, reveals the error of this natural assumption: the revenue is actually less than double the costs. The problem is that the values begin at $500,000 rather than $0, as they always should in a bar graph.

Figure 3-25. This bar graph encodes the quantitative values as bars inaccurately, by failing to begin the scale at zero.


Clarifying the Vision

Variations in Dashboard Uses and Data

Thirteen Common Mistakes in Dashboard Design

Tapping into the Power of Visual Perception

Eloquence Through Simplicity

Effective Dashboard Display Media

Designing Dashboards for Usability

Putting It All Together



Information Dashboard Design. The Effective Visual Communication of Data
Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data
ISBN: 0596100167
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 80
Authors: Stephen Few

Flylib.com © 2008-2020.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net