Data visualization is like one of those unlikely couples. One partner is outgoing and a great storyteller. The other is introverted and sticks to the facts. To make great charts, maps, and graphs, you need to channel both partners in this odd couple: the artist and the analyst.
So over the next several weeks, I’m going to offer up key rules about composition that artists know and that analysts (and the rest of us) can apply when presenting data. I will focus on ten rules discussed in more detail in this article from Canva. This time it’s about finding your focus.
What Does “Find Your Focus” Mean?
Decide what you want your audience to focus on first. To choose a focal point, think about the main message you hope to communicate. You can direct attention to words or data points related to your focal point by placing them in the center of the composition, by coloring them so that they contrast with the background, or by using larger type than used elsewhere in the composition.
How Can I Apply This Rule to Data Viz?
Source: Richard Speigal on Tableau Public
This map uses contrasting color to direct your attention to the focal point: the location of lighthouses in England and Wales. The focal point is also the title, which is in much larger type than the rest of the text. Finally, the color chosen looks like radiating light, further emphasizing the focal point.
Source: Agata Ketterick on Tableau Public
This map also uses contrasting color to clarify the focal point: locations of extreme snowfall. And it uses color strategically: white=snow. These locations are placed in the center of the image and further emphasized by the bar chart.
Source: Zainab Ayodimeji on Tableau Public
This simple bar chart uses the title and contrasting colors to ensure that you don’t miss the focal point.
Stay tuned for more composition rules in coming weeks!
To see past data tips, click HERE.
Let’s talk about YOUR data!
Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.
