1. Charting Best Practices
Dave Fowler
CEO @ Chartio

2. Physics at Gustavus
MS EE at U of MN
IBM Rochester
Y Combinator
Chartio

4. Edward Tufte Stephen Few
Academic Business Focused
Artistic Pragmatic
High Level Specific

6. Chart Monster

7. Chart Monster Data Hero

8. Type
Textures
Grid
Colors
Labels
Scales
Dimensions

9. “Does this look
impressive enough?”

10. “Does this show the
data clearly?”

11. Chart Types

12. 100 20
75 15
50 10
25 5
0 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 0 5 10 15 20
100
Year Profit Growth
75
2007 17 20%
50 2008 26 52%
25 2009 53 104%
2010 96 81.1%
0
2007 2008 2009 2010
Total Profit
$11,689

13. Gauge Charts

15. Bullet Graph

16. Toy Charts

17. Pie Charts
2007 2008 2009
2010 2011 2012
80
60
40
20
0
2007 2009 2011

19. 16x larger
r 4r

20. Chart “Attributes”
to Avoid

21. Gradients
100 100
75 75
50 50
25 25
0 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2007 2008 2009 2010

22. “Does this add an
extra dimension?”

23. Textures
100 100
75 75
50 50
25 25
0 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2007 2008 2009 2010

24. Extra Colors
100 100
75 75
50 50
25 25
0 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2007 2008 2009 2010

25. Dimensions
100
75
50
25
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

26. Dimensions
100 100
75 75
50 50
25 25
2010
2009
0 0
2008
2007 2007 2008 2009 2010

27. Backgrounds
#F0EFE9

28. Color Palette
•Vastly different Hues
•Similar Intensity
•Contrast from background
•Avoid Red and Green Combo

29. Color Palette
High Focus
Medium Focus
Low Focus

30. Focus
Total Sales Total Profit Region 1
$51,689 $11,689 Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
2008 26 52%
100
2009 53 104%
75 2010 96 81.1%
Region 2
50
Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
25
2008 26 52%
0 2009 53 104%
2007 2008 2009 2010
2010 96 81.1%

31. Focus
Total Sales Total Profit Region 1
$51,689 $11,689 Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
2008 26 52%
100
2009 53 104%
75 2010 96 81.1%
Region 2
50
Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
25
2008 26 52%
0 2009 53 104%
2007 2008 2009 2010
2010 96 81.1%

32. Focus
Total Sales Total Profit Region 1
$51,689 $11,689 Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
2008 26 52%
100
2009 53 104%
75 2010 96 81.1%
Region 2
50
Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
25
2008 26 52%
0 2009 53 104%
2007 2008 2009 2010
2010 96 81.1%

33. Focus
Total Sales Total Profit Region 1
$51,689 $11,689 Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
2008 26 52%
100
2009 53 104%
75 2010 96 81.1%
Region 2
50
Year Profit Growth
2007 17 20%
25
2008 26 52%
0 2009 53 104%
2007 2008 2009 2010
2010 96 81.1%

35. Thanks!
Dave Fowler
dave@chartio.com
We’re hiring! - http://chartio.com/jobs/