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Colors in Data Visualization 1679929864

Effective Use of Colors in Data Visualization The document provides tips for effectively using color in data visualizations. It recommends minimizing color variations and using color as a functional rather than aesthetic tool. It also suggests avoiding brand colors by extending color palettes, avoiding colors that vibrate or strain the eyes, using grey to reduce visual impact, grouping similar data in varying shades of the same color, choosing color schemes based on data type, and making visualizations color-blind accessible. The document emphasizes using color purposefully to enhance clarity and understanding.

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Roland Rütten
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80 views8 pages

Colors in Data Visualization 1679929864

Effective Use of Colors in Data Visualization The document provides tips for effectively using color in data visualizations. It recommends minimizing color variations and using color as a functional rather than aesthetic tool. It also suggests avoiding brand colors by extending color palettes, avoiding colors that vibrate or strain the eyes, using grey to reduce visual impact, grouping similar data in varying shades of the same color, choosing color schemes based on data type, and making visualizations color-blind accessible. The document emphasizes using color purposefully to enhance clarity and understanding.

Uploaded by

Roland Rütten
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Effective Use of Colors in Data Visualization

Minimize color variations


Use color as a functional tool in your visualization, not
aesthetics. Too many colors can make the data
visualization more complex and harder to understand, and
your audience will find difficulty in distinguishing between
groups in your visualization. Fewer options means more
clarity.

Don’t default to Brand Colors


If you’re obligated to use brand colors in your data visualizations,
then use extensions of that color in your graphics. Stretch out the
color palette by introducing color categories in darker and lighter
versions of the same hue instead of different hues.

Brand Colors

Adjusted colors
Avoid color vibration
Some colors vibrate when put
next to other colors.

Using very high contrast and


saturated colors can not only
strain the eyes but if there’s
text, it can be very difficult to
read without looking away.

Make Grey your best friend


Use muted or grey color to
minimize the visual impact of
other values, and saturated
colors to highlights specific
data points.

Grey can also be used to calm


down the overall visual
impression of your charts.
Group similar data under varying shades of
the same color

Reduce the number of colors in a chart by grouping similar


categories, or alternatively use other chart types such as split-
stacked chart shown below.
Use data-driven color schemes
Choose color palette depending on the type of data you want to
present: Qualitative, Sequential & Diverging.

QUALITATIVE

Use different hues to represent


different categories.

SEQUENTIAL
Use single color gradient when values
are low or high in the same category

DIVERGING
Use two color gradients on each side
with a neutral tone in the middle, for
displaying position on a range, such as
thermometer or a satisfaction survey.
Make it color-blind accessible
Be mindful of color blindness and improve accessibility. Consider
using icons & shapes as indicators, using patterns in bar or column
charts, or changing the line width and dashes in line charts. You can
also adjust the opacity of certain chart elements to better tell them
apart.
Create associations through color
Associating colors with certain topics brands, locations etc. can
help bring information to the audience more easily by making it
more accessible and memorable.

Check out this example about an Olympic sport called Luge which
has been dominated by German competitors. The author
consciously chose colors of the German flag to make it
immediately relatable to the audience.
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