Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When should I pick Data-ink?
When the story is: auditing slides, dashboards and science figures.
When should I avoid Data-ink?
Skip it in cases like: a poster that must shout from three metres — ads may keep some junk on purpose.
Who invented or popularised it?
Edward Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983
What does it encode?
the share of ink that represents data versus decoration
Is it OK in ads?
Yes if one claim is visible at a glance in Meta, Google and retail print; otherwise link to a full figure.
Will a teacher accept it?
Yes for lab reports and poster boards if axes, units and a source line are present.
Data-ink encodes values as the share of ink that represents data versus decoration. Edward Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits auditing slides, dashboards and science figures. Skip it when a poster that must shout from three metres — ads may keep some junk on purpose.
Parts
- Mark — The core mark of Data-ink is the share of ink that represents data versus decoration.
- Scale — The scale must show zero (or a declared break) and units.
- Axis — Axis titles name the variable, not a mood.
- Legend — A legend is weaker than a direct label. Write beside the mark when you can.
- Label — Numbers are optional. If comparison is the job, label the ends only.
- Grid — Keep the grid faint. Data should own the ink.
- Annotation — One annotation sentence. Date the source.
- Frame — A thin frame. Never a 3-D box.
Variants
- Chartjunk audit — Variant 1 of Data-ink (Chartjunk audit). Same encoding, different layout.
- Tufte ratio — Variant 2 of Data-ink (Tufte ratio). Same encoding, different layout.
- Erase-non-data — Variant 3 of Data-ink (Erase-non-data). Same encoding, different layout.
- Data-ink 4 — Variant 4 of Data-ink (Data-ink 4). Same encoding, different layout.
Labels
- Axis — On Data-ink, make Mark readable.
- Legend — On Data-ink, make Scale readable.
- Label — On Data-ink, make Axis readable.
- Grid — On Data-ink, make Legend readable.
- Annotation — On Data-ink, make Label readable.
Data-ink: honour the share of ink that represents data versus decoration, and switch when a poster that must shout from three metres — ads may keep some junk on purpose.