This is a must-read for anyone who works with or presents quantitative information.
We've all sat through presentations in which the charts and graphs managed to convey the minimum of information using the maximum number of clashing colors. Tufte shows examples of brilliantly rendered graphs that convey a tremendous amount of information in a small space. He also shows examples of horridly designed graphs - those that either convey little or no information as well as those that are misleading to the point of being false.
One of his main theses is that you should prepare your graphs with as little 'fluff' as possible - even to the extent of omitting tick-marks if doing so does not diminish the information carried by the graph.
He also recommends more creativity in the fundamental design of graphs. He points out that most graphs shown in U.S. periodicals are simple time-series, even if there are multiple functions on the y axis, and even if there is a purported relationship between those multiple functions.
You have to see this book to appreciate the analytical and aesthetic creativity that can be applied to the construction of graphs and charts.
-- DaleBrayden - 16 Jul 2002
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