Darker cells mean a higher score for this topic on that metric.
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Quick answers
When should I pick Palette and scale builder?
When the story is: choropleths, heatmaps, multi-series charts, brand-safe decks.
When should I avoid Palette and scale builder?
Skip it in cases like: rainbow scales on ordered magnitude data.
Who invented or popularised it?
Cynthia Brewer ColorBrewer (2002) for cartography; later UI theme tools
What does it encode?
ordered or unordered hue sets mapped to data classes
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.
Palette and scale builder encodes values as ordered or unordered hue sets mapped to data classes. Cynthia Brewer ColorBrewer (2002) for cartography; later UI theme tools.
In reports, ads and assignments it fits choropleths, heatmaps, multi-series charts, brand-safe decks. Skip it when rainbow scales on ordered magnitude data.
Parts
- Mark — The core mark of Palette and scale builder is ordered or unordered hue sets mapped to data classes.
- 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
- Sequential scale — Variant 1 of Palette and scale builder (Sequential scale). Same encoding, different layout.
- Categorical set — Variant 2 of Palette and scale builder (Categorical set). Same encoding, different layout.
- ColorBrewer map — Variant 3 of Palette and scale builder (ColorBrewer map). Same encoding, different layout.
- Palette and scale builder 4 — Variant 4 of Palette and scale builder (Palette and scale builder 4). Same encoding, different layout.
Labels
- Axis — On Palette and scale builder, make Mark readable.
- Legend — On Palette and scale builder, make Scale readable.
- Label — On Palette and scale builder, make Axis readable.
- Grid — On Palette and scale builder, make Legend readable.
- Annotation — On Palette and scale builder, make Label readable.
Palette and scale builder: honour ordered or unordered hue sets mapped to data classes, and switch when rainbow scales on ordered magnitude data.