ColorWise

Conclusion

If you’re seeing data points and hues, gradients, and degrees of saturation everywhere you look at this point, we’re not surprised. There’s a wealth of knowledge to take in when it comes to mastering color in data visualization, and for most people, it’s a task they would rather trust to their computers than their own brainpower.

However, the default settings of your favorite graphics program are limited to appealing to the lowest common denominator or the default setting that highly-educated researchers carefully constructed in order to meet the needs of as many individuals as possible. While the default settings are a good place to start, as the designer of the data visualization, you have the knowledge and power to update the colors to create a more effective data story.

As data scientists, data analysts, and graphic designers, we have a responsibility to use color intentionally to convey key insights to our audience more effectively. This is no less than a combination of two great disciplines, the power of color and the power of data, coming together to tell stories, guide decisions, reveal facts, and dispel myths. It can be a massive responsibility that allows you to guide the future of your company, its targeted customers, even entire industries.

Great data visualization appears at the highest levels of industry—with its clarity, or lack thereof, defining the decisions of CEOs, boards of directors, and thousands of other executives, managers, and powerful people. ...