How do you know if the data visualizations you designed to summarize the findings of your extensive data analytics work will actually resonate with your audience?
The result of most data analytics work is a series of data visualizations pasted onto slides in a PowerPoint presentation. Here are the points to think about to ensure that your presentation will be a winner:
- Chart text – Don’t clutter your charts with text. Use only text for a chart title, series labels, and axes labels. The words you intend to speak should be captured on your Notes Pages, not on your charts.
- Chart arrangement – Improper arrangement of chart elements can confuse your audience at best and mislead them at worst. Avoid too much information per chart. Eliminate ornamentation. Simplify your data visualizations for easier interpretation by your audience.
- Colour – Avoid too many colours. Keep culture-laden colour connotations in mind. For example, red is bad, green is good, pink is associated with feminine qualities. Use a few clearly contrasting colours for your charts.
- Lines – The excessive use of lines for gridlines, borders, tick marks, and axes can add clutter or noise to your chart. Eliminate whatever isn’t useful for interpreting your data.
- Overloading – Too much information dilutes the power of your data visualizations. Catch your viewer’s attention with only the data that needs attention.
Evaluate your data visualization by completing the more detailed checklist below.