Catalog

Guideline Catalog

Browse visualization guideline records with sections, labels, and references.

781 records

Page 17 of 33

  1. Prefer vertically stacked small multiples over superposed bars for set comparisons

    For grouped set comparison under brief viewing, prefer vertically stacked layout structure on static bar charts to improve fidelity and mitigate low-precision overlap-based judgments for viewers comparing overall mean or range.

    • purpose:select
    • basis:empirical
    • task:compare
    • chart:bar
    • structure:small-multiples:use
    • +3

  2. Present matching narration and animation at the same time

    For explanatory viewing of animated processes, use simultaneous timing for matching narration and animation to improve insight and mitigate representational holding across successive media for viewers integrating words and pictures.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • quality:insight
    • lever:interaction-access
    • temporal-pattern:dynamic

  3. Preserve high-importance regions when creating visualization thumbnails

    For retrieval in a record-list of data visualizations, use importance-based thumbnailing on single-view visualizations to improve readability and mitigate unreadable uniform shrinkage for viewers scanning many results.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • task:retrieve
    • scope:record-list
    • quality:readability
    • +3

  4. Preserve relative geometry when viewers must track point identities

    For identity-preserving visual tracking during ordered-time transitions, avoid animation pacing that deforms relative point geometry on dot-based views to improve fidelity and mitigate identity swaps for analysts.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • task:relate
    • time:ordered-time
    • quality:fidelity:use
    • +2

  5. Preserve user style overrides in chart styling

    For accessibility implementation and review, use chart styling that preserves user-agent overrides on charts and dashboards to improve accessibility and mitigate fixed-presentation failures for users who rely on browser, operating-system, or application style changes.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • needs:low-vision
    • +1

  6. Preview an unclassed map before choosing classes

    For workflow decisions on continuous choropleth data, use an unclassed preview on a quantitative map to improve fidelity and mitigate unconscious oversimplification before finalizing a classed color scale.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:heuristic
    • chart:choropleth
    • data:quantitative
    • quality:fidelity
    • +2

  7. Provide 24×24 px pointer targets or an alternative interaction path

    For interactive selection and activation, use minimum-size pointer targets or an alternative interaction path on charts with small or data-scaled interactive marks to improve accessibility and mitigate missed or imprecise selection for people with motor impairments or non-precise pointer input.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • needs:motor
    • +1

  8. Provide a default chart view in build-your-own analytic interfaces

    For build-your-own analytic tasks, use a default, opinionated starting view on chart-building interfaces to improve accessibility and mitigate from-scratch chart assembly for users with cognitive and intersecting access needs.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • task:compose
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • +2

  9. Provide aggregate calculations over selected cases

    For grouped-result analysis of tabular data, use interaction support for aggregate calculations on subsets in an information visualization system to improve insight and address comparisons that depend on summary values for analysts.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • task:compose
    • scope:grouped-result
    • data:tabular
    • +3

  10. Provide an adjustable alternative to scroll-driven progression

    For dynamic interactive reading, use adjustable or optional progression controls on scroll-driven visualization sequences to improve accessibility and mitigate scroll-only navigation for keyboard-only users and people affected by motion or cognitive load.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • temporal-pattern:dynamic
    • +3

  11. Provide an alternative view for difficult charts

    For interpretation tasks on difficult or complex charts, use an adjustable alternative presentation on high-risk chart types to improve accessibility and mitigate misinterpretation for readers with cognitive accessibility needs.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • needs:cognitive

  12. Provide controls when data extremes compress chart space

    For dynamic comparison tasks, use interaction access on quantitative charts where extreme values or near-equal values compress mark spacing to improve accessibility and mitigate unreadable chart space for users changing parameters or filters.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • task:compare
    • data:quantitative
    • quality:accessibility
    • +3

  13. Provide keyboard-equivalent access for interactive chart controls

    For operating interactive charts, use matched keyboard interaction access on interactive chart controls to improve accessibility and mitigate mouse-only interaction for keyboard-only and screen-reader users.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • needs:keyboard-only
    • +2

  14. Provide multiple paths to the same chart information

    For retrieve tasks in complex dashboard and multi-state chart interfaces, use multiple navigation paths on views, filtered states, and pages to improve accessibility and mitigate single-process information access for users with disabilities and assistive technologies.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • task:retrieve
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • +1

  15. Provide optional access to deeper context

    For explanatory viewing when some viewers may want to investigate further, use optional progressive context layers on a chosen chart and its surrounding annotations to improve trust and mitigate confusion from missing context for viewers with mixed detail needs.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:rhetorical
    • quality:trust
    • lever:interaction-access
    • communication:context
    • +1

  16. Provide playback controls for long or looping animations

    For dynamic chart explanations and state transitions, use playback controls on animated visualizations to improve accessibility and mitigate uncontrolled long-running or looping motion for motion-sensitive or high-cognitive-load viewing contexts.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • temporal-pattern:dynamic
    • +1

  17. Provide skip paths for repeated or exhaustive chart navigation

    For interactive navigation tasks, use skip paths and summary access on repeated or dense chart structures to improve accessibility and mitigate repeated-content and point-by-point traversal for keyboard and screen-reader users.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • needs:keyboard-only
    • +3

  18. Provide standard UI alternatives for complex chart actions

    For interactive exploration, use standard UI alternatives for complex actions on interactive charts with brushing, zooming, filtering, or gesture controls to improve accessibility and mitigate pointer-only interaction barriers for keyboard, screen-reader, and touch-device users.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • access:keyboard:use
    • +3

  19. Provide undo and redo for interactive visualization actions

    For interactive tasks, use reversible interaction controls on interactive visualizations to improve accessibility and mitigate interaction mistakes for users with disabilities and users of assistive technologies.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access

  20. Provide visible location and history controls

    For navigation across complex interactive dashboard or app states, use visible location and history controls on visualization interfaces to improve accessibility and mitigate unclear current view and unrecoverable state changes for users with cognitive needs or assistive technologies.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:accessibility
    • structure:dashboard
    • quality:accessibility
    • lever:interaction-access
    • +2

  21. Put complex or central narration into on-screen captions

    For ordered-time narrated visuals, use captions for complex or important spoken points on dynamic displays to improve fidelity and address losses from speech-only delivery for viewers following unfamiliar content.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • time:ordered-time
    • temporal-pattern:dynamic
    • quality:fidelity:use
    • +2

  22. Put the primary quantitative field on the x-axis in row-faceted charts

    For row-faceted point plots, use the x-axis for the primary quantitative field to improve readability and mitigate slow, misaligned cross-panel lookups for readers comparing values across vertically stacked panels.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • structure:small-multiples
    • lever:encoding
    • component:axis:use
    • +2

  23. Rank visual elements with BubbleView click density

    For element-level evaluation of static visual designs, use BubbleView click density on annotated elements to improve insight and mitigate reliance on full eye-tracking studies in importance-ranking workflows.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • quality:insight
    • lever:interaction-access

  24. Reassign alternate semantic hues to separate similar category colors

    For categorical comparison across a set of labeled categories, use palette clustering and alternate semantic hue assignment on categorical color encoding to maximize readability and mitigate same-hue collisions for viewers comparing many categories.

    • purpose:refine
    • basis:empirical
    • task:compare
    • scope:grouped-result
    • data:categorical
    • +4