Balancing out your elements is one of ten composition rules discussed in greater detail in this article from Canva. And it applies as much to data viz as to other types of composition. Read on for the 60-second version of this rule.
What Does “Balancing Elements” Mean?
Think of how you balance things on an old fashioned balance scale (pictured above). You can achieve balance by:
1) Placing the same elements on each side. This is called symmetrical balance.
2) Placing an assortment of elements which total to the same weight on each side. This is called asymmetrical balance.
What do we mean by weight when it comes to design? Well, more prominent (larger, darker, brighter) objects have more weight than less prominent ones.
How Can I Apply This Rule to Data Viz?
When designing a dashboard or any other type of composition that involves data viz, give some thought to where you place elements to balance them out.
The top part of this dashboard shows asymmetrical balance. The title and text on the left are balanced by the mini charts and KPI* on the right. The small multiples chart that comprises the rest of the dashboard is an example of symmetrical balance.
Source: Ivett Kovacs on Tableau Public.
This dashboard achieves asymmetrical balance by placing the title and text in the upper left corner and information about the City of Toronto in the lower right corner. The map, which crosses from the lower left to the upper right, is placed for symmetry as well. Each quadrant of the composition has similar weight.
Source: JR Copreros on Tableau Public
To see past data tips, including those about other composition rules, click HERE.
*KPI: Key Performance Indicator
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