Visualizing with Clarity - Data Points: Visualization That Means Something - page 563

You can also have too much negative space that
interferes with the primary elements. Figure 5-21
shows a series of bars where the space in
between each one is about the same as the
width of a single bar. Look at the bars individu-
ally, and it's easy to see the separation between
each gray bar, but look at the group as a whole,
and you perceive a visual vibration between gray
and white that almost makes the figure appear
blurry. The equal negative space confuses your
brain about which part to focus on.

FIGURE 5-21 Visual vibrations from equal negative space

On the other hand, reduce the negative space
and increase bar width, and the image appears
less blurry, as shown in Figure 5-22. The bars
clearly dominate focus, and the negative space
serves as thin separators in between.

FIGURE 5-22 Bars visually dominate with little negative space.

As shown in Figure 5-23, the opposite direction
works, too. The bars are thin strips and negative
space is relatively large. Like in the earlier sec-
tion on allowing comparisons between shapes
and colors, contrast is the key.

With little differentiation between negative
space and the elements of interest, a visual-
ization is less clear, so experiment to find the
right balance. FIGURE 5-23 Less vibration with a contrast between bars and negative space

HIGHLIGHTING

Readability in visualization helps people interpret data and make conclusions
about what the data has to say. Embed charts in reports or surround them
with text, and you can explain results in detail. However, take a visualization
out of a report or disconnect it from text that provides context (as is common
when people share graphics online), and the data might lose its meaning; or
worse, others might misinterpret what you tried to show.

Highlighting can guide readers through the data and direct eyeballs to the
most important parts in a graphic. It reinforces what people might already see
or draw attention to areas or data points that people should see.