Effective reports are much more than simply answering documented business questions with the available measures and columns of the dataset. Reports also need to be visually appealing and provide a logical structure that aids in navigation and readability. Business users of all backgrounds appreciate a report that is clear, concise, and aesthetically pleasing.
Now that the report-planning phase described earlier is complete, the following list of 15 visualization practices can guide the report development process:
- Avoid clutter and minimize nonessential details:
- Each visual should align with the purpose of the report—to gain insight into a business question:
- Visualizations should not represent wild guesses or functionality that the author finds interesting
- Eliminate report elements that aren't essential for gaining understanding:
- Gridlines, legends, axis labels, text boxes, and images can often be limited or removed
- The report should be understandable at a glance...
- Each visual should align with the purpose of the report—to gain insight into a business question: