List: Learning from 3 of My Chartjunks

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Coined by Edward Tufte in "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information", chartjunk refers to charts with redundant data-ink and non-data-ink. "Data-ink is the non-erasable core of a graphic, the non-redundant ink arranged in response to variation in the numbers represented." To keep this post within the discussion, I will be using the following 3 characteristics for chartjunk, as taken from the book that chartjunk has been termed:

  • Vibrations - moiré vibrations (effects) create noise and clutter
  • Gridlines
  • Ducks - elements not relevant to the data that distract the audience
For more details on chartjunk, read the extract of the chapter on chartjunk here on Tufte's website.


1. Vibrations


The image above is an attempt to create the idea of what a sci-fi character would see from the spaceship of a warp drive. This is the original format I have submitted for a #DiversityinData theme. It may also be classified as a chartjunk despite it looking like art. While the lines moving into the centre as no value in terms of data represented, only the squares moving out from the centre have meaning. Each square represents a winner and timing, with the fastest at the centre to the slowest at the outer square, Click on the image on the Tableau Public page to interact with the chart(junk). It is perhaps best to remove the extra lines moving into the centre like below:




2. Gridlines


An earlier submission for a #MakeoverMonday challenge. Gridlines can be seen on the unorganised and poorly labelled viz. Gridlines do not add anything to the chart above. If I were to this chart again, I would have done it differently, like a bar chart I have done for #B2VB below:

3. Ducks

It is kind of obvious that the pain icons are poorly aligned and the differences in each element can be hardly told without the number labels on the top. The chart is "duck" (image from above the opening paragraph that Tutfe has used to describe this kind of chartjunk). If I had to redo this viz, I would have done it completely differently. It is probably best done with a proper chart or in a full-blown art piece for the theme.

All in all, to create better charts, much needs to be learnt. I hope this blog entry has helped you somewhat in your journey as it did shine some rocks on my path to improving.