| name | tufte-viz |
| description | Ideate and critique data visualizations using Edward Tufte's principles from "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information." Use this skill when:
(1) Designing new data visualizations or charts
(2) Critiquing or improving existing visualizations
(3) Reviewing dashboards or reports for graphical integrity
(4) Deciding between visualization approaches
(5) Reducing chartjunk or improving data-ink ratio
(6) Planning small multiples or high-density displays
Applies principles: data-ink ratio, chartjunk elimination, graphical integrity, lie factor, small multiples, and data density.
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Tufte Visualization Ideation
Apply Edward Tufte's principles to design clear, honest, high-density data visualizations.
Workflow
For new visualizations:
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Clarify the data story
- What comparisons matter?
- What's the key insight to communicate?
- Who's the audience?
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Select approach using Tufte principles:
- High comparison need → Small multiples
- Dense data → Consider data tables, sparklines
- Time-series → Line charts with minimal grid
- Part-to-whole → Avoid pie charts; prefer bar/table
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Design with data-ink in mind
- Start minimal, add only what's necessary
- Every element must earn its ink
- Default to grayscale; use color purposefully
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Apply the eraser test before shipping
- For every element (label, tick, gridline, border, annotation): can it be erased without losing information that's not already conveyed elsewhere?
- Watch for duplicate encodings: numeric labels next to a value already marked by a tick; legends duplicating direct labels; per-panel scale annotations duplicating a shared-scale caption.
- If two elements compete for the same job, keep the visual one and drop the textual one (or vice versa) — not both.
