Choose visual encodings in the order people perceive them most reliably.
What the eye sees first Some encodings are easier than others. Position on a common axis and length from a baseline support fast, reliable comparison. Area and angle do not. When the main job is comparing magnitudes, strong encodings reduce effort immediately. Why chart choice follows from that A chart is not neutral packaging. It commits you to a comparison method. If the chart makes the audience compare bubbles, wedges, or color intensity when a simple bar would do, the design has added work the business question did not require. How to apply it Use bars, dots, and lines for…
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