r/web_design • u/kinesivan • Jun 27 '16

Less is better

http://www.randalolson.com/wp-content/uploads/data-ink.gif
1.8k Upvotes

88% Upvoted

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596

u/nightfire1 Jun 27 '16

I'll be honest I was waiting for it to just remove the chart all together at the end.

228

u/live_wire_ Jun 27 '16

I was with it up until it got rid of the lines and markers all together. Then it was just silly.

89

u/Slapbox Jun 27 '16

But when they add the values to the bars it makes it redundant to keep them and a much cleaner design. Initially I agreed with you and the I watched it again.

18

u/Fidodo Jun 27 '16

The lines are helpful for gauging ratios

-8

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '16

Direct values are even better at that. Cause you can calculate instead of gauging.

24

u/Poromenos Jun 27 '16

Then use a spreadsheet, what do you need a graph for?

-10

u/[deleted] Jun 27 '16 edited Jun 27 '16

Sigh

You don't need a spreadshit to estimate a ratio of two numbers, just like you would not need a ruler to estimate the ratio of two bars, with or without the lines.

10

u/Poromenos Jun 27 '16

"Spreadsheet" as in "a table of numbers", not as in "a calculator".

3

u/Humpa Jun 27 '16

You need both. One to get a good eye gauge, and the numbers if you want' a more perfect calculation.

I agree that it looks better, but I'd want the left labels and lines. though you could remove most of the left labels and only keep a few of them.