Viz Principles

Visualization Principles Q&A

1What makes a visualization effective?
Answer: Clear purpose, correct chart type, and minimal cognitive load.
2How choose chart type?
Answer: Match task: compare, trend, distribution, relationship, composition.
3Why avoid 3D charts?
Answer: They distort perception and reduce readability.
4Color best practice?
Answer: Use limited palette, semantic mapping, and color-blind safe choices.
5What is pre-attentive processing?
Answer: Fast visual cues (color/size/position) guide attention instantly.
6When start y-axis at zero?
Answer: Usually for bar charts to avoid exaggeration.
7What is chart junk?
Answer: Decorative elements that distract from data message.
8How annotate insights?
Answer: Add concise callouts near key points.
9How design dashboards?
Answer: Prioritize key KPIs, consistent layout, and interaction hierarchy.
10How prevent misleading visuals?
Answer: Show context, scales, units, and sampling caveats.
11What is data-ink ratio?
Answer: Maximize ink used to represent actual data, minimize non-essential ink.
12One-line viz principles summary?
Answer: Good visualization makes accurate insight obvious and fast.