#30169
Seeing is Believing: Communicating Information Graphically 
Diverse work situations and varied skills, abilities, and motivation affect how users handle documentation to do their jobs. Communicating graphically challenges the communicator to 1) select illustrations that orient users ana' 2) use dynamic arrows to show the motion required. The communicator then 3) shows the order of steps within a task by using numbers with 'numberness.' Users' eyes seek information dynamically: help them find needed i$ormation by 4) keeping tasks within eyespan on a page. Then 5) use a grid to consistently layout an interesting page.
Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#29334
Some Graphic and Semigraphic Displays
Graphs and semigraphic displays are made for purposes. Different purposes usually call for different graphs.
Tukey, John W. Edward Tufte (1972). Design>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#26127
A government organisation in New Zealand wants to create standards for graphs, especially online graphs. Until now, we haven't been able to find any existing standards, so we will have to start from scratch.
McAlpine, Rachel. Quality Web Content (2005). Design>Web Design>Standards>Charts and Graphs
#23089
Tabular Data: Finding the Best Format
Discusses the results of a study comparing several formats for displaying data in tables.
Tullis, Tom and Stan Fleischman. Intercom (2004). Design>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#21660
No siempre un gráfico es el elemento más ilustrativo. Las frases escritas, las tablas y los gráficos tienen su propio lugar en el discurso de la construcción de la claridad y el entendimiento.
Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2002). (Spanish) Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#13204
Understanding Data Flow Diagrams
Data flow diagrams (DFDs) reveal relationships among and between the various components in a program or system.
Le Vie, Donald S., Jr. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Graphic Design>Charts and Graphs
#31431
Visuals and Specialization Present Possibilities for Handling the Information Overload Crisis
Professional communicators and attorneys have long stood side by side as both fought to win in court—one in the court of law, the other in the court of public opinion. These two sometimes wary compatriots, however, are now beginning to partner more frequently to garner the best results for the executive suite.
Larkin, T.J. and Sandar Larkin. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Articles>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#24253
Wigner Distribution Representation and Analysis of Audio Signals: An Illustrated Tutorial Review 
The Wigner distribution provides a visual display of quantitative information about how a signal’s energy is distributed in both time and frequency. Through its low-order moments the Wigner distribution embodies the fundamentally important concepts of both Fourier analysis and time-domain analysis. Signal energy is distributed in such a way that specific frequencies are localized in time by the group delay time (from classical filter theory) and at specific instants in time the frequency is given by the instantaneous frequency (from classical modulation theory). The energy spectrum (energy per frequency) and instantaneous power (energy per time) are specified by the zero-order moments of the distribution. The net positive volume of the Wigner distribution is numerically equal to the signal’s total energy. While the theoretical underpinnings of the Wigner distribution are mathematically elegant and do merit in-depth study, a substantial amount of practical insight, understanding and interpretive skill can be gained by carefully examining a wide variety of computed Wigner distributions such as those of the audio signals presented in this brief report.
Preis, Douglas and Voula Chris Georgopoulos. STC Proceedings (1998). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#32917
Demonstration of the LONGDESC Attribute and the 'd' Link
When images are provided to illustrate complex ideas, the same information MUST also be provided in an accessible form.
WATS.ca (2007). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Charts and Graphs
#32922
The affinity diagram, or KJ method (after its author, Kawakita Jiro), wasn't originally intended for quality management. Nonetheless, it has become one of the most widely used of the Japanese management and planning tools. The affinity diagram was developed to discovering meaningful groups of ideas within a raw list. In doing so, it is important to let the groupings emerge naturally, using the right side of the brain, rather than according to preordained categories.
SkyMark (2005). Articles>Information Design>Metadata>Charts and Graphs
#32923
The KJ-Technique: A Group Process for Establishing Priorities
In design, our resources are limited. Priorities become a necessity. We need to ensure we are working on the most important parts of the problem. How do we assess what is most important?
Spool, Jared M. User Interface Engineering (2004). Articles>Information Design>Project Management>Charts and Graphs
#32924
Affinity Diagramming is a very simple but powerful technique for grouping and understanding information. In particular, affinity diagramming provides a good way to identify and analyze issues. There are several variations of the technique.
Information and Design (2006). Articles>Information Design>Metadata>Charts and Graphs
#34155
Enhancing Your Written Works by Producing Effective Charts
Producing effective charts is essential to any document that conveys technical, scientific, or financial data. Here are four suggestions to ensure that your charts are effective and enhance rather than detract from your document.
Davidson, Jeff. Carolina Communique (2009). Articles>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#34189
Sixteen Usable CSS Graph and Bar Chart Tutorials and Techniques
Have you ever even tried to create your own CSS graph? If you have, you will know how hard it is. Using Flash is one way to go, but you just can’t beat a beautifully crafted CSS Graph. Have a look at these tutorials and techniques.
SpeckyBoy (2009). Design>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#35273
The Social Life of Visualization: Part 1
In 2009 we are in the midst of an interesting era for data visualization, particularly as it becomes coupled with the social web. Increasing processing speed, bandwidth and storage capacity are making it relatively simple to render and access visual representations of data. Developers have released libraries of code so we can easily create our own visualizations; and access to all kinds of data is becoming incredibly standardized, particularly through the use of APIs. So as visualization becomes much more straightforward to integrate into online environments, it makes sense to rethink how it can best be used in this setting.
Yuille, Jeremy and Hugh Macdonald. Johnny Holland (2009). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs
#35274
Swivel's mission is to make data useful. Compare data from multiple sources. Sort and filter data according to simple criteria. Map geographical data. Plot pie, bar, scatter and line graphs. Download data into a spreadsheet for analysis.
Swivel. Resources>Research>Information Design>Charts and Graphs
#35560
Chart Junk? How Pictures May Help Make Graphs Better
New research shows that highly embellished graphs and charts may actually help people understand data more effectively than traditional graphs.
Science Daily. Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#35561
Better Posters: Does Embellishment Improve Graphs?
It looks like the opening (quoted above) overreaches what the study actually does. The research only looks at backgrounds, but “chart junk” comes in many other forms: pointless 3-D effects, crazy colour schemes, excessive gridlines, cutesy cartoons, and more. The summary of this research in no way provides a scientific basis to argue, “I like the 3-D effect, and science supports it’s easier to read!”
Better Posters (2009). Design>Presentations>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
