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Build Great Backlinks has posted a new item, 'How Not to Visualize Your Data'


Posted by Dr. Pete

Lately, Ive been seeing data visualizations everywhere, including the products
in my own kitchen. This week, I had sightings on my tea and my tortilla chips.
This is a story about the box my tea came in (for the sake of my marriage, I
cant disassemble the tortilla chip bag until it's empty), and how sometimes we
take marketing too far. Over the weekend, I discovered this "Taste Profile" (the
top version is a recreation, since the real graph was only about 1 tall, but all
details are accurate to the original):



Im not attacking the company that made this, and Im not going to out them here
their product is actually pretty great. I just want to use this visualization to
illustrate some of the wrong ways to do things, in hopes that we can all raise
our game a bit.

But Its So Pretty!


I admit the earth tones are nice, and its not entirely unappealing. I guess,
for a moment, it made me feel better about shelling out $11 for an
ounce-and-a-half of leaves. Maybe thats even good marketing, although I really
doubt this 1 tall graphic on the back of the box has ever swayed anyones
decision. Im not trying to say that its an ugly picture. The problem is that its
a pleasant distraction disguised as meaningful data.

The job of a data-visualization is to communicate an idea better than the raw
data itself could. Of course, that also implies that theres actual data behind
the visualization. So, how do we get it wrong?

(1) Pick the Shiniest Style


We all know that the best chart style can be summed up with two words: big and
shiny! The radar chart above is pretty shiny its like Ive discovered some lost
continent of tea with my smooth jazz submarine. The problem is that, ultimately,
I dont know what that shape means, and I dont have anything to compare it to. A
radar chart is at its best when comparing two or more profiles. Pick the right
tool for the job, not the one that looks the most impressive on your utility
belt. Batman is a friend of mine, and you, sir, are no Batman (disclaimer: I
dont know Batman).

(2) Use a Lot of Fancy Words


Umami is the exotic fifth taste (beyond the classic four of sweet, sour,
bitter, and salty) its a Japanese word meaning Haha, I cant believe I got you
to eat sea urchin! To be fair, at least it has something to do with taste. I
honestly have no idea how Brightness or Briskness apply to tea, and if they do,
what the difference is between the two.

I do know that Lipton has spent a lot of money making us think their tea is
brisk, which raises another point why do you want to compare your $110/lb.
gourmet tea to Lipton? Even Aroma is a bit ambiguous do I want a lot of aroma?
What if its the aroma of some bad umami that I forgot to put in the fridge last
night?

The goal of a visualization is to simplify information thats too complex. If
you have to make up big words to do that, then youre missing the point.

(3) More Words? Yes, Please!


What really brings a visualization together is to explain each of your terms
with even more words, preferably ones that make even less sense. Now, please
understand I have no issue with the French. I think Paris is lovely, its cool
that you helped us win the American Revolution, and Ive never eaten freedom
fries. This product wasnt made in France, though, and I didnt buy it in Quebec.
The company is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Translating every label on the graph into French isnt just meaningless its
pretentious. These secondary labels only serve to add visual noise and make it
harder to pair the main labels to their data points.

(4) Keep the Mystery Alive


Everyone loves a mystery you dont hate Scooby Doo, do you? If you can make
your product mysterious enough, everyone will think they need it. Sadly,
sometimes smoke and mirrors is all a product has to offer, but in this case the
product is really quite good. Adding pseudoscience to the label doesnt create
intrigue it just makes me wonder if the marketing team is drinking their
product or smoking it.

Communicate, Communicate, Communicate


To be fair, this 1 graph was little more than a decoration on a box, and it
does that job perfectly well. Unfortunately, Ive seen similar graphs (and worse)
in blog posts, research papers, and even reputable newspapers. Every day, it
gets easier to make sexy charts, illustrations, and infographics. Its ok to
create something beautiful, but we have to remember that our first job is to
communicate. A data visualization should convey useful ideas quickly, because
ultimately thats our job as online marketers. So, think before you open
Photoshop.

Addendum: So, I've learned that "cupping scores" are not uncommon in the
gourmet coffee industry. Here's a 10-factor radar graph (hat tip to @jimbeetle).
I just have a hard time seeing this as anything but a way to justify premium
prices with pseudoscience.
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