A SMALL REFERENCE SHELF
Make the numbers
make sense.
Good charts start before you choose a color. These notes cover the small decisions that make data easier to read, share, and understand.
NOTE / 001 / DATA
A clean CSV is a good beginning.
Prepare a simple table, understand delimiters and quotes, and avoid accidental gaps in your chart.
Read the note NOTE / 002 / CHARTSBars or lines? Start with the question.
Compare categories, show an ordered sequence, and keep the visual honest about what your data says.
Read the note NOTE / 003 / OUTPUTA chart is only useful if you can use it.
Take a draft into a slide or document, choose between SVG and PNG, and give it enough context.
Read the note