dataviz/docs/05-simplify.md

# SIMPLIFY – Avoid Clutter

SIMPLIFY covers all aspects of avoiding clutter in reports and presentations.

_Avoiding clutter_ means that reports and presentations avoid all components and
characteristics, which are too complicated, redundant, distracting or merely
decorative.

This chapter covers avoiding unnecessary and decorative components and replacing
them with cleaner layouts, avoiding redundancies and distracting details.

1. [Avoid unnecessary components](#si-1-avoid-unnecessary-components)
2. [Avoid decorative styles](#si-2-avoid-decorative-styles)
3. [Replace with cleaner layout](#si-3-replace-with-cleaner-layout)
4. [Avoid redundancies](#si-4-avoid-redundancies)
5. [Avoid distracting details](#si-5-avoid-distracting-details)

## SI 1 Avoid unnecessary components

Completely avoid components, such as pictures, backgrounds, and logos, not
contributing to the comprehension of a report or presentation.

## SI 1.1 Avoid cluttered layouts

![Figure SI 1.1: Avoid cluttered layouts](img/si-1.1.png)

Layout concepts often contain elements that lack meaning but merely conform to
corporate design or personal taste. Avoid all these elements, see Figure SI 1.1.

## SI 1.2 Avoid colored or filled backgrounds

![Figure SI 1.2: Avoid colored or filled backgrounds](img/si-1.2.png)

Numbers and labels are easiest to read when depicted in black on a white
background. Any type of background color or pattern makes something harder to
read, see Figure SI 1.2.

## SI 1.3 Avoid animation and transition effects

![Figure SI 1.3: Avoid animation and transition effects](img/si-1.3.png)

Animated _PowerPoint_ slides are not useful if the animation has no meaning and
does not support the message, see Figure SI 1.3. They merely distract and
confuse. Only the “appear” function is recommended to be used for the gradual
development of a slide.

## SI 2 Avoid decorative styles

Simplify complicated visualizations in order to facilitate and accelerate their
comprehension. Whereas the section “Avoid unnecessary components” involves
omitting entire layout elements, the aim here is to find the most suitable and
simplest possible style of visualization elements.

## SI 2.1 Avoid borders, shades, and pseudo-3D

![Figure SI 2.1: Avoid borders, shades, and pseudo-3D](img/si-2.1.png)

In general, borders, shades, and pseudo-3D convey no meaning and make
comprehension more difficult. Shades and pseudo-3D might even give a false
visual impression. Avoid them because they do not add value, see Figure SI 2.1.

## SI 2.2 Avoid decorative colors

![Figure SI 2.2: Avoid decorative colors](img/si-2.2.png)

If colors serve merely decorative purpose in one instance, using them for
meaning in another instance (e.g. for highlighting) becomes difficult. Therefore
use colors only if they convey meaning, see Figure SI 2.2.

## SI 2.3 Avoid decorative fonts

![Figure SI 2.3: Avoid decorative fonts](img/si-2.3.png)

A normal typeface and clear fonts increase legibility. Save bold and cursive
fonts for making distinctions, see Figure SI 2.3.

## SI 3 Replace with cleaner layout

Using a cleaner method of visualization decreases the amount of ink necessary to
convey a message.

## SI 3.1 Replace grid lines and value axes with data labels

![Figure SI 3.1: Replace grid lines and value axes with data
labels](img/si-3.1.png)

Using integrated data labels can make value axes, tick marks, and gridlines
superfluous, see Figure SI 3.1. Gridlines, however, can be useful in charts with
missing reference points as might be the case in charts with many data series
and data points, or in small charts (e.g. small multiples).

## SI 3.2 Avoid vertical lines by right-aligning data

![Figure SI 3.2: Avoid vertical lines by right-aligning data](img/si-3.2.png)

Omit all avoidable elements to make tables more straightforward. Avoid vertical
lines by right-aligning numerical values and the corresponding column headers,
see Figure SI 3.2.

## SI 4 Avoid redundancies

Avoiding redundant terms usually increases the legibility of charts and tables.
In some cases, a certain amount of redundancy can be helpful like when the time
period named in the chart title also appears in said chart. But unnecessary
redundancy impedes comprehension like when naming the year twelve times in a
chart with twelve monthly category labels.

## SI 4.1 Avoid superfluous extra words

![Figure SI 4.1: Avoid superfluous extra words](img/si-4.1.png)

Extra words such as “sum” and “total” are redundant because they add no value to
the meaning of the term they accompany. No difference exists between “Europe”
and “Sum of Europe”. Extra words make it harder to read text elements, see
Figure SI 4.1.

## SI 4.2 Avoid obvious terms

![Figure SI 4.2: Avoid obvious terms](img/si-4.2.png)

Terms such as “chart analysis”, “development”, or “comment” are redundant
because they name something already shown, see Figure SI 4.2. Other obvious
terms in charts and tables are “table”, “statistics”, “report”,“visualization”,
“structure”, or “trend”.

## SI 4.3 Avoid repeated words

![Figure SI 4.3: Avoid repeated words](img/si-4.3.png)

Repeated words in legends, axis labels, row headers, etc. such as“division” in
“division A”, “division B”, etc. or “2017” in “Q1 2017”,“Q2 2017”, etc. should
be avoided, see Figure SI 4.3. Omitting repeated words usually increases the
degree of legibility.

## SI 5 Avoid distracting details

In addition to avoiding noise and redundancy, omitting nonessential, distracting
information details facilitates comprehension. Examples include unnecessarily
large numbers and disproportionately detailed information in project or product
overviews.

## SI 5.1 Avoid labels for small values

![Figure SI 5.1: Avoid labels for small values](img/si-5.1.png)

Labels of small values are often hard to position and rarely contribute to the
comprehension of the message. Therefore they can be avoided in most cases, see
Figure SI 5.1. However, add them when special reference is made to them. If it
is necessary to label these small values or small visualization elements,
_assisting lines_ might be necessary.

## SI 5.2 Avoid long numbers

![Figure SI 5.2: Avoid long numbers](img/si-5.2.png)

Numbers with more than three digits in charts and four digits in tables are hard
to read; moreover, such precision is seldom necessary to understand the message,
see Figure SI 5.2.

## SI 5.3 Avoid unnecessary labels

![Figure SI 5.3: Avoid unnecessary labels](img/si-5.3.png)

Omit labels for data points that do not represent extreme values or values of
special importance, see Figure SI 5.3.

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