1. Use simple colors.With the use of publishing and basic word processing software it is easy to create charts and even easier to go overboard and put them in a multitude of far out colors and shades. You’re not painting your hippie van here, you’re teaching a concept. Keep your colors
simple in your charts. You want the colors to blend with the overall color choices of your document, but be a slight variation to make sure the chart stands out. Have someone review your color copies and get a second opinion.
Choose complimentary colors to your overall document. Here is a quick place to test your color combination to make sure it works successfully together. http://www.colorcombos.com/combotester.html
2. Make text large enough to read. The biggest mistake most people make when creating charts and graphs for printed materials is making the text too small to effectively read. Either make the font larger, or include a magnifying glass in the materials cost.
Chart text should be a minimum 10pt and main axis labels should be a min 12pt. Check out this website for up to date information on font sizing best practices. http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=389839
3. Only add components you have to have on the chart. Excel graphs in particular are easy to overload with too much text and components to make it easy for the reader to understand at a glance.
Keep the text and category labels to a minimum.
4. Stick to Simple Chart Types.Keep the chart simple for the eye to read. Although it is tempting to add cool graphical elements or insert “stylish” graph types, it is best to keep to the simple and most recognizable graph / chart types. Readers are familiar with them and do not have to spend time trying to figure out how they are supposed to interpret the data being presented. Remember the grade school acronym: KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid!
Use bar and pie graphs whenever possible. Avoid line and scatter graphs.
5. Place chart strategically in your layout.Put your chart or graph in the place where it will make the most impact for the reader. Don’t hide it in the footnotes like it’s your red headed stepchild! You want the reader to notice it and to correlate it to the information you are presenting it to support or validate.
Put charts and graphs next to the information or text they are supporting.
Five Quick Things to Do to Make Your Chart Stand Out
1. Choose complimentary colors to your overall document. Here is a quick place to test your color combination to make sure it works successfully together. http://www.colorcombos.com/combotester.html
2. Chart text should be a minimum 10pt and main axis labels should be a min 12pt. Check out this website for up to date information on font sizing best practices. http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=389839
3. Keep the text and category labels to a minimum.
4. Use bar and pie graphs whenever possible. Avoid line and scatter graphs.
5. Put charts and graphs next to the information or text they are supporting.