Many of the Briefings’ graphs need love and attention… you see, I’ve downloaded every slide from every Briefing (here’s where I got them from) – and their graphs have been… well, ‘work-in-progress’. They’ve evolved. Ropey at first, but better over time. And I do appreciate that, when fighting pandemics, formatting graphs isn’t key.
Let's start. Figure 1 shows fictional data for cumulative total infections for each of countries A, B, C, D. Figure 2 is typographically different. Let's compare.
Avoid legends (i.e. the bit in Figure 1 beneath the x-axis that tells you what each line is): legends set up puzzles for readers to decode, their eyes must flit back and forth between legend and lines. Instead, label lines directly – see Figure 2. Much easier to grasp.
Try to avoid colour: 5-10% of people are colour-blind or colour-deficient. What to do instead? Try different shades of grey – see Figure 2. Also, avoid talking about colours when presenting: e.g. don’t say: “See the yellow line”. Instead, say: “See the top line”.
Maybe put the y-axis on the right: see Figure 2. Readers more easily see key numbers, i.e. what’s been happening recently. (To do this in Excel: left-click over the y-axis labels, then right-click, then Format Axis, Labels, Label Position, High.)
Tidy the x-axis labels: in Figure 1, the word ‘Day’ appears 10 times. It’s visually intrusive, plus to fit them all in, they’re sideways - and that's not how we read. Figure 2 shows ‘Days’ just once. Much better. Then again, why show every day? Instead, just show 7, 9, 11, etc – or even 7, 10, 13, etc. The Briefings’ graphs have evolved precisely this way – at first, the word ‘Day’ many times and sideways, then just the numbers, then just every 4th or 5th number. Recently, its graphs show just the first and last dates, e.g. ’23-Mar’ far left and ’26-May’ far right, and nothing in between. Neat… albeit why ’23-Mar’? Why not ’23 Mar’? No dash. It’s a small point (or – rather – a small dash), but-we-don’t-need-the-dash-so-why-leave-it-in-just-because-Excel-gives-us-it?
Avoid sideways labels on the y-axis: in Figure 1, readers must crane their necks to read the words down the left. Badly formatted graphs really are a pain in the neck.
Avoid y-axis lines if you’ve horizontal grids. You don’t need both. Study Figure 2 - it's better. Also, notice that in both Figures 1 and 2, the axes and horizontal lines are greyed down. This softens their look and makes graphs seem less… stark.
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