The average data display still looks lackluster. Some adjustments can provide a significant improvement.
Most graphs are not worth looking at. No matter what industry you work in or what your level of seniority is, the fact is that you'll probably encounter a lot of mediocre data visualizations in your work.
Good graphics convey a specific message and do so quickly. At the same time, they are visually appealing enough to invite the viewer to spend more time with them and deepen their understanding of the key message. Good graphics also convey where they are from (what company or department) because they speak the same visual language.
Bad graphics may contain a lot of information, but fail to convey the key message to the viewer. Either they try to show too many things at once, or they are simply so visually unattractive that the viewer looks elsewhere before understanding the message. The viewer has no idea who created an incorrect graphic unless the creator tells them it is theirs.
Most data scientists, analysts, and similar professionals who create charts are smart enough to figure out how to create a good chart. The problem is that there is never enough time to do it.
