(2013-08-20) Darkhorse Data Looks Better Naked

Darkhorse Analytics: Data looks better naked. Edward Tufte introduced the concept of data-ink in his 1983 classic The Visual Display of Quantitative Information. In it he states "Data-ink is the non-erasable core of the graphic, the non-redundant ink arranged in response to variation in the numbers represented"

Tufte asserts that in displaying data we should remove all non-data-ink and redundant data-ink, within reason, to increase the data-ink-ratio and create a sound graphical design

To illustrate how less ink is more effective, attractive and impactive we put together this animated gif. In it we start with a chart, similar to what we've seen in many presentations, and vastly improve it with progressive deletions and no additions.

Update: We now have Data Looks Better Naked versions for Tables, Pies, and Maps