In the age of big data and information overload, the ability to communicate insights visually is more important than ever. FusionCharts’ white paper, “Principles of Data Visualization – What We See in a Visual,” digs into the science behind why certain visuals work—and how to design them with impact. Whether you’re building dashboards or just trying to understand the charts in your reports, this paper gives you tools to become a more informed visual communicator.
In this post, I’ll share key takeaways, offer a quick summary, and highlight what stood out to me most as both a review and a practical guide.
1. Why We Visualize in the First Place
Before we jump into charts, the paper reminds us: visualization is one of our oldest communication methods—predating even written language. That means our brains are wired to extract meaning from visual information quickly. The paper positions visualization not just as a design task, but as a cognitive one.
“Vision is the single most important faculty we use to communicate information.”
It’s not just about making things pretty—it’s about helping others think faster.
2. Visualizations in Business: It’s All About Speed and Clarity
FusionCharts emphasizes the role of data visualization in business: enabling faster decision-making by reducing cognitive load. The classic comparison between a table of sales numbers and a quick bar chart nails this point. We process visuals faster than raw numbers—and that speed is gold in business.
They also quote Tufte’s ideal of “graphical excellence”: maximum insight, minimum ink.
3. Two Goals: Explanatory vs. Exploratory
A powerful framework: all visualizations aim to either explain or explore.
- Explanatory visuals answer specific questions—think dashboards or reports.
- Exploratory visuals encourage users to dig into large datasets—ideal for uncovering insights or patterns.
The white paper does a good job explaining this distinction and giving context for when to use each.
4. How We See Things: Memory, Vision, and Parallel Processing
This part surprised me—in a good way. The paper draws a parallel between how we see and how big data is processed (like Hadoop’s MapReduce): our eyes and brain work in parallel, chunking information to find meaning.
- Working memory handles only 3 chunks of visual data at once (!)
- That’s why simplicity matters—too many competing visual cues will confuse, not clarify.
5. The Magic of Preattentive Attributes
Colin Ware’s concept of preattentive attributes is a highlight of the paper. These are visual cues (like color, position, size, length) that our brains notice instantly—before we even consciously register them.
Only position and length allow for precise comparison.
So yes—your pie chart might be pretty, but don’t expect it to be precise.
6. Patterns We Can’t Unsee
From these visual building blocks, we instinctively look for analytical patterns—like trends, outliers, or clusters. Sometimes, this pattern-hunting can even go too far, seeing meaning where none exists. But it’s a powerful reminder: design visuals to emphasize the right patterns.
7. Gestalt Principles: Grouping with Intention
This was my favorite section. Gestalt psychology explains how we group elements visually. The paper touches on:
- Proximity
- Similarity
- Enclosure
- Closure
- Continuity
- Connection
- Symmetry
- Figure & Ground
These aren’t just academic—they’re directly useful in real-world charts and dashboard design. Want to make your chart more readable? Lean on Gestalt.
8. A Real-World Example
The white paper wraps up with an example from Recorded Future. It’s a nice touch—they break down which principles were used and how they affect what we notice:
- Bubbles stand out because of figure & ground
- Color and proximity group them into categories
- Position and size give meaning (e.g., “Which company is getting the most mentions?”)
It shows how everything discussed can be combined in one effective, intuitive visual.
Conclusion: More Than Just Pretty Charts
FusionCharts’ Principles of Data Visualization white paper is a great primer for anyone working with data—even if you’re not a designer. It’s thoughtful, digestible, and most importantly, actionable. It moves the conversation beyond just chart types into how people actually perceive visuals.
If you’re building dashboards, making reports, or just want to read visualizations more critically, I highly recommend giving it a read.
“What We Really See in a Visual: A Review of FusionCharts’ Principles of Data Visualization White Paper”
Intro:
In the age of big data and information overload, the ability to communicate insights visually is more important than ever. FusionCharts’ white paper, “Principles of Data Visualization – What We See in a Visual,” digs into the science behind why certain visuals work—and how to design them with impact. Whether you’re building dashboards or just trying to understand the charts in your reports, this paper gives you tools to become a more informed visual communicator.
In this post, I’ll share key takeaways, offer a quick summary, and highlight what stood out to me most as both a review and a practical guide.