The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.

No cover — Edward R. Tufte: The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed. (Paperback, Graphics Press)

Paperback, 200 pages

Published by Graphics Press.

ISBN:: 978-1-930824-13-3

(2 reviews)

The classic book on statistical graphics, charts, tables. Theory and practice in the design of data graphics, 250 illustrations of the best (and a few of the worst) statistical graphics, with detailed analysis of how to display data for precise, effective, quick analysis. Design of the high-resolution displays, small multiples. Editing and improving graphics. The data-ink ratio. Time-series, relational graphics, data maps, multivariate designs. Detection of graphical deception: design variation vs. data variation. Sources of deception. Aesthetics and data graphical displays. This is the second edition of The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Recently published, this new edition provides excellent color reproductions of the many graphics of William Playfair, adds color to other images, and includes all the changes and corrections accumulated during 17 printings of the first edition.

5 editions

ralentina reviewed The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward R. Tufte

The bible of data visualisation

4 stars

A short, enjoyable book about graphic design for the communication of (statistical) information. It is easy to get nostalgic for these "simpler" times when bias and distortion were thought as the main threats to truth. Tuften is a minimalist, and his principles are good to keep in mind, even if he can veer towards the austere. He probably would argue that when the data is interesting there is no need to spice it up, when the data isn't interesting there is no point in spicing it up.

The book offers some key principle for graphic integrity: maintain proportions between dimensions on paper and numbers; be generous with labelling; show data variations, do not vary design for aesthetic purposes; in time series with monetary values, account for inflation; associate every size-changing dimension to a variable (e.g. if a variable represented by rectangles doubles, only double either the width or the height); …

A short, enjoyable book about graphic design for the communication of (statistical) information. It is easy to get nostalgic for these "simpler" times when bias and distortion were thought as the main threats to truth. Tuften is a minimalist, and his principles are good to keep in mind, even if he can veer towards the austere. He probably would argue that when the data is interesting there is no need to spice it up, when the data isn't interesting there is no point in spicing it up.

The book offers some key principle for graphic integrity: maintain proportions between dimensions on paper and numbers; be generous with labelling; show data variations, do not vary design for aesthetic purposes; in time series with monetary values, account for inflation; associate every size-changing dimension to a variable (e.g. if a variable represented by rectangles doubles, only double either the width or the height); give context to interpret the data.

His theory of data graphics: Data ink is the ink that carries information. One should aim maximize the proportion of data ink to non-data ink, within reason.

Kube reviewed The visual display of quantitative information by Edward R. Tufte

Hot gossip

5 stars

Excellent fun for fans of the "subject matter expert disses their peers in highly specific ways" genre 📈