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Evaluating Charts for a Presentation

You should generally evaluate your charts in terms of the following: title descriptiveness, focal points, information sufficiency, ease of processing, and take$-$away message.

Title descriptiveness. Most readers look first at the chart$$s title to grasp its message. Thus, the title should explain the primary point of the chart. However, it must be short enough for the reader to process quickly $($generally fewer than ten words$).$

Focal points. A chart should draw the reader$$s attention to the most critical relationships and ideas. Each of the chart$$s focal points should support one main idea. The focal points can be visually generated in many interesting ways, including font choices $($bold$,$ italics$),$ color, size, and callout boxes.

Information sufficiency. Charts should contain enough information for the reader to quickly and reasonably understand the ideas that are being displayed. Clear labels and legends should demonstrate what is being measured and in what units. In some cases, readers will expect to know data values at each point within the chart.

Ease of processing. A basic purpose of a chart is to convey complicated information as quickly as possible. By selecting only the necessary information and placing labels and data at appropriate places, you enable your reader to process the information quickly and efficiently. Ideally, your reader should grasp the key ideas within $10$ to $15$ seconds.

Take$-$away message. An effective chart leaves a lasting impression about your key point. The take$-$away is the essence of your chart$$how the information, title, focal points, and other formatting combine to convey a lasting message.

Read the case below and answer the questions that follow.

You are a marketing specialist at a media company. Over the past few years, you have been researching how TV viewers use mobile phones and other devices while watching TV$.$ You have found that, increasingly, viewers expect to engage via mobile devices with TV shows and their audiences while watching TV$.$

Recently, you finished a survey that you have conducted annually for the past three years. Each year, you randomly sampled adults over $18$ across the country. The number of participants in the surveys was $1,543$ adults in $2012,2,337$ in $2013,$ and $2,342$ in $2014.$ You compiled the following statistics from the survey:

During the last month, which of the following actions have you taken with your cell phone while watching TV$?201220132014$

Browsed the Internet during commercials $21\%28\%47\%$

Browsed the Internet during shows $13\%15\%29\%$

Checked the accuracy of info on TV $25\%27\%26\%$

Posted comments online about the show $5\%17\%33\%$

Viewed comments online from other viewers $8\%23\%38\%$

Texted other viewers $14\%16\%24\%$

Visited a website mentioned on TV $15\%13\%20\%$

Voted for a reality show contestant $7\%6\%5\%$

Entered a contest mentioned on TV $1\%2\%1\%$

Tweeted about the show $1\%3\%14\%$

You and your colleagues will soon give a presentation to executives at your company. You want to focus on how to engage TV viewers with their mobile devices. During the presentation, you will present some of the findings of this survey, and you want to support the view that TV viewers increasingly expect an interactive, engaging experience that involves using their mobile phones.

You and your colleagues have created the following charts $($each of which has strengths and weaknesses$)$:

Line Chart $1$

A line chart titled, the rise of connected TV viewers; viewers browse, read, and post during their TV experiences.The horizontal axis labeled year ranges from $2012$ through $2014,$ in increments of $1.$ The vertical axis represents percent ranging from $0$ through $50$ in increments of $10.$ The chart plots four increasing curves, with the approximate data as follows: Browsed the internet during shows, $13$ percent in $2012,15$ percent in $2013,$ and $28$ percent in $2014.$ Posted comments online about the show, $5$ percent in $2012,17$ percent in $2013,$ and $34$ percent in $2014.$ Viewed comments online from other viewers, $8$ percent in $2012,24$ percent in $2013,$ and $38$ percent in $2014.$ Browsed the internet during commercials, $21$ percent in $2012,28$ percent in $2013,$ and $48$ percent in $2014.$

$$McGraw$-$Hill Education

Line Chart $2$

A line chart titled, changes in connected viewing, $2012$ through $2014$ plots $4$ increasing curves.The horizontal axis labeled year ranges from $2012$ through $2014,$ in increments of $1.$ The vertical axis represents percent ranging from $0$ through $50$ in increments of $5.$ The data are as follows: Browsed internet during shows, $21$ percent in $2012,28$ percent in $2013,$ and $47$ percent in $2014.$ Posted comments online, $8$ percent in $2012,23$ percent in $2013,$ and $38$ percent in $2014.$ Viewed comments online, $5$ percent in $2012,17$ percent in $2013,$ and $33$ percent in $2014.$ Browsed internet during commer