Cropping the y-axis thumb

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Wayne Sutton

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08.01.24 Underused charts

Fil Rivière

Maria Ciampa

Observable staff

Courtney Francis

Allison Horst

Robert Kosara

Animation can be a distraction in data visualization. Or, when applied effectively, it can enhance user engagement, reveal trends, and help viewers track patterns across metrics. Here are five ways to use animation for better data viz.

Five ways to effectively use animation in data visualization

Truncating the vertical axis in a bar chart is still a bad idea, but in this follow-up post we look at how to do it in a visualization grammar like Observable Plot. We also discuss alternatives, such as the relative bar chart, and show a similar issue when using size encodings in scatterplots and on maps.

Why to never crop the y-axis, part 2: how to do it, and what to do instead

A common rule of creating charts says to never cut off the y-axis for bar charts, but that it can start at any point for line charts. Research shows that cropping the y-axis leads to confusion, even with line charts. There is a useful rule of thumb that helps make this choice, though.

It’s never okay to crop the y-axis, except when it is

Observable Data Visualization Engineer Fil Rivière shares five useful patterns for better chart annotations including pointer-driven marks, continuous crosshairs, staggered axes, and grouped tips — all with examples implemented in Observable Plot. 

Five techniques to improve chart annotations

Learn chart types and strategies to design rich data visualizations that let viewers dig deeper into the data, even in small spaces.

Deliver big insights in small spaces

Donut, line, and bar charts are great for displaying some metrics, but their simplicity — in some ways, what makes them so common and useful — can also leave understanding on the table. 

Here, we share five chart types that go beyond the basics to reveal deeper insights from data, and provide users with more engaging and informative dashboards.

Five underused charts for richer dashboards

While D3 is a staple among data visualization practitioners, it’s not always known how closely connected it is with Observable’s platform. In fact, Mike Bostock built Observable with D3 in mind.

Observable and D3 visualizations: Everything you need to know

A spotlight on recently launched features to consider while you’re planning your next semester.

The essential features for Observable classrooms

To kick off the year, dataviz industry experts share their forecasts and hopes for 2023. 

2023 Data Visualization Predictions

We asked Observable team members, aka "Observables", for their favorite notebooks of 2022. See what the team chose.

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