charts

name	charts
description	Graphical integrity

This skill applies Edward Tufte's principles of graphical excellence to review visualization code. Invoke when creating or reviewing D3, Chart.js, Recharts, or any data visualization implementation.

Intake

Which Tufte principle needs attention?

1. Data-ink ratio - Maximizing data per pixel, removing chartjunk
2. Lie factor - Graphical integrity, accurate representation
3. Small multiples - Comparative visualization, faceted displays
4. Direct labeling - Labels at the data, eliminating legends
5. Full review - Comprehensive evaluation against all principles

Share your visualization code or describe your chart, and I'll provide targeted guidance.

Routing

Response	Reference File
1, data-ink, chartjunk, gridlines, remove	references/data-ink-ratio.md
2, lie factor, baseline, accuracy, distortion	references/lie-factor.md
3, small multiples, facets, comparison, grid	references/small-multiples.md
4, direct labels, legend, annotation	references/direct-labeling.md
5, review, audit, comprehensive	(use full skill below)

---

Core Tufte Principles

1. Data-Ink Ratio

Maximize the share of ink devoted to data. Every drop of ink should have a reason.

Review for:

• Unnecessary gridlines (remove or lighten significantly)
• Redundant axis lines (often the data itself implies the axis)
• Decorative borders and boxes around charts
• Background colors that don't encode data
• 3D effects that add no information
• Drop shadows on data elements
• Excessive tick marks

Target: Can any element be removed without losing information?

2. Lie Factor

The size of an effect shown in the graphic should match the size of the effect in the data.

Lie Factor = (Size of effect in graphic) / (Size of effect in data)

Review for:

• Truncated axes that exaggerate differences (not starting at zero for bar charts)
• Area/volume encodings that distort proportions (2x data ≠ 2x visual)
• Inconsistent scales across small multiples
• Perspective distortions (3D pie charts are notorious)
• Manipulated aspect ratios

Target: Lie factor should be between 0.95 and 1.05

3. Chartjunk

Eliminate non-data elements that clutter and distract.

Review for:

• Moiré patterns and vibrating textures
• Heavy gridlines competing with data
• Unnecessary legends (label data directly when possible)
• Decorative illustrations unrelated to data
• Gratuitous color (more than needed to distinguish categories)
• Ornamental axes, borders, backgrounds
• Redundant encoding (color AND shape AND label for same variable)

Target: Does every visual element earn its place?

4. Data Density

Maximize information per unit area without sacrificing clarity.

Review for:

• Wasted whitespace that could show data
• Oversized legends and titles relative to data area
• Charts that could be tables (few data points)
• Tables that could be charts (many data points with patterns)
• Missed opportunities for small multiples

Target: Shrink the non-data elements, expand the data

5. Integration of Text and Graphics

Labels should be close to data, not segregated in legends.

Review for:

• Legends that force eye movement away from data
• Missing direct labels on data points/lines
• Axis labels far from the axis
• Titles that don't inform
• Missing units on axes

Target: Can the reader understand without consulting a legend?

6. Small Multiples

Use consistent, repeated designs for comparison.

Review for:

• Inconsistent scales across panels
• Varying axis ranges that mislead
• Missing shared reference lines
• Unclear panel ordering

Target: Same scales, same structure, easy scanning

Review Checklist

When reviewing visualization code, evaluate:

Critical Issues (Must Fix)

• Lie factor > 1.1 or < 0.9
• Truncated Y-axis on bar chart
• 3D effects distorting proportions
• Inconsistent scales in comparisons
• Missing axis labels or units

High Priority (Should Fix)

• Heavy gridlines obscuring data
• Legend instead of direct labels
• Unnecessary color variation
• Redundant encodings
• Chart type inappropriate for data

Polish (Consider Fixing)

• Gridlines could be lighter/removed
• Borders and boxes around chart
• Excessive decimal precision
• Title doesn't add information
• Aspect ratio not optimized for data

Code Review Patterns

D3.js Red Flags

// BAD: Heavy gridlines
.style("stroke", "#000")
.style("stroke-width", 2)

// GOOD: Subtle gridlines
.style("stroke", "#e0e0e0")
.style("stroke-width", 0.5)

// BAD: 3D-like effects
.style("filter", "drop-shadow(3px 3px 3px #000)")

// BAD: Redundant legend when direct labels possible
svg.append("g").attr("class", "legend")

// GOOD: Direct labels on data
text.attr("x", d => x(d.x) + 5).text(d => d.label)

Color Guidelines

• Use color only when it encodes data
• Prefer position encoding over color encoding
• Limit to 5-7 distinguishable colors maximum
• Ensure accessibility (colorblind-safe palettes)
• Gray for de-emphasized elements, color for emphasis

Axis Guidelines

• Bar charts: start at zero
• Line charts: can truncate if clearly labeled
• Log scales: when data spans orders of magnitude
• Remove axis line if gridlines present
• Tick marks: only where needed for reading values

Output Format

When reviewing, provide:

1. Tufte Score: X/10 - Overall adherence to principles

2. Critical Issues - Must fix before shipping

3. Recommendations - Specific code changes with before/after

4. Data-Ink Analysis - What can be removed

5. Positive Notes - What's working well

Example Review Output

## Tufte Visualization Review

**Score: 6/10**

### Critical Issues
1. Bar chart Y-axis starts at 50, exaggerating differences (Lie Factor ~2.3)
   - Fix: Set domain to [0, max] or clearly mark truncation

### High Priority
2. Legend at bottom forces eye movement
   - Fix: Add direct labels at line endpoints

3. Gridlines too prominent (#999, 1px)
   - Fix: Lighten to #e5e5e5, 0.5px or remove

### Data-Ink Wins
- Good use of direct value labels on bars
- Appropriate chart type for comparison
- Clean typography

### Suggested Code Changes
[specific edits with line numbers]

When to Invoke This Skill

• After writing new visualization code
• When reviewing existing charts for improvement
• Before presenting data to stakeholders
• When a visualization "feels cluttered"
• During code review of dashboard components

Remember: The goal is clear thinking made visible. Every element should serve the reader's understanding of the data.