Briefle words · UI design
Data-ink ratio
Also called chart junk
The idea that most of a chart's ink should show data, and gridlines, borders and markers that don't help should be cut.
Say it to an AI
Weekly active users by platform over six months. Use a takeaway title ("Web passed Android in July"), direct labeling at the end of each line instead of a legend, and a highlight color on Web only, with iOS and Android in grey. Keep the data-ink ratio high: three faint gridlines, no point markers.
How an expert would brief the stronger version of “Active users chart”.
See it
Try it as a puzzle →Growth chart on a product analytics dashboard for a note-taking app.
Why: B has six horizontal and six vertical gridlines plus a dot on every point. A keeps three pale horizontal lines at 0, 25k and 50k.
More ways experts use it
Bar chart of parcels delivered per day, Mon–Fri this week, with a takeaway title. Keep the data-ink ratio high: flat bars, three light gridlines with tick labels, no 3D effect, shadows or background fill. One color, since the bars are one series.
Daily deliveries chart · Data & chartsVertical bar chart of enrollment for five courses with a takeaway title. Put data labels (value labels) above each bar and drop the y-axis, gridlines and tick labels entirely; keep the data-ink ratio high with one accent color and course names under the bars.
Course enrollment bars · Data & charts
Related words
Room 1 · Essentials
Learn “Data-ink ratio” in a five-minute lesson