Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
but it is especially important to remember when designing quantitative displays for the
screen. In the case of charts and graphs, the signal is the concrete message we are
trying to show—the data in its clearest form. Visual noise consists of anything that gets
in the way of seeing the data—the signal—onscreen in the most direct, clearest way
possible. The goal is to have the highest signal-to-noise ratio possible in your slides.
Using one color boldly will put the emphasis on that part of the data. Removing the busy background and
various colors from the bars helps to add clarity. (Images in slides from
iStockphoto.com
.)
A simple line chart is made unnecessarily noisy with the addition of clip art and a background photo and a box
in a color that does not match the theme.
I recommend avoiding most of the built-in textures unless there is a very good reason for using them.
