.
EdwardTufte / Tufte Clarifies the Ear

Tufte Clarifies the Ear

Original ear diagram
The original ear diagram

From Tufte’s Visual Explanations, pp. 74, the first diagram (above) is an example of a poor graphic. The single letter labels force the reader to scan the text for the name of each highlighted component. The lines connecting those letters to their respective portion of the ear are as dark and thick as any of the lines used in the ear diagram itself, thus overpowering the ear and cutting it into pieces. Also, these thick lines activate the negative space producing white slices surrounding the ear.

With a few tweaks, Tufte produces the second diagram (below). Gone is the indirect labeling, now the reader can instantly identify the ear’s components. The lines connecting the labels have become thinner and lighter. This reduces or eliminates the activation of negative space, and the lines now no longer overpower the ear diagram.

Tufte's ear diagram
The better ear diagram

return to Presenting Data and Information Seminar


Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

George Washington
Farewell Address (¶27), September 17, 1796

A2 Web Hosting
Creative Commons License
Get your Domain at GoDaddy.com
search engine by freefind advanced

loaded 2025-02-16 22:47:24 • last modified 2007-04-20 18:00:11
Privacy PolicyDisclaimer
• awcolley.com is powered by PmWiki
• all content (unless otherwise noted) © 2025 A W Colley