David McCandless, creator of the website Information is Beautiful and author of the books Information is Beautiful and Knowledge is Beautiful, presents in this chart the four essential elements for good data visualization.
In the infographic created by the author, you can combine information with function and visual form. However, without a story, for instance, the visualization becomes “boring.” It may look good, but it’s not that engaging.
Similarly, if you combine visuals, information, and storytelling without considering functionality and purpose, you’ll end up with something ineffective.
According to David, these are the elements that form the backbone of his process, and it’s also what he teaches in his workshops.
Source: What Makes a Good Visualization?
