Choosing the right shape for our graphic is crucial!
Before choosing the shape, we need to ask ourselves the right questions!
- What data do we want to highlight?
- How important is this data?
- For what use?
- For which user?
The main shapes and their meanings
The main shapes are the circle, the square and the triangle. Each basic shape expresses a distinct characteristic.
The circle
lightness, joy, gentleness, innocence, movement, infinity.
The square
stability, rigidity, heaviness, reliability, strength, seriousness.
The triangle
vivacity, danger, advice, theology, balance, fear.
The circle
On a dashboard, we’ll find this shape mainly on pie charts, exploded charts, 3D or perspective charts, sunburst charts, bubbles, dots and donuts.
Tip: Use a maximum of 3 data categories for best visibility. Data should express the proportion of a category within the whole. In this way, we can see which category is larger than another.
Ex: What is the most widely used means of payment? We can see that CB (31%) is the largest category.
The square
This shape is mainly used on bar charts, also known as bar graphs.
Tip: Use it to compare data with a large number of categories or long category labels.
Ex: You want to visualize sales data to determine which regions are recording the best figures. The bar chart lets you quickly visualize sales figures and results for each region.
The triangle
The triangle is a very powerful shape. In some cases, it can be used to predict the future direction of the market or of a stock with precise objectives.
Tip: Use the pyramid chart to compare a single set of data to visualize proportions, illustrate a hierarchical sense and a directional workflow.
Ex: Ubiquitous in the USA in the early 1990s. The food pyramid describes an organizational hierarchy by food category.
Approaching data with adapted cognitive ergonomics
Our environment is made up of multiple shapes. Each shape communicates a specific piece of information and emotion. The same applies to our data.
Calling on the services of a UX/UI designer is essential; he or she will help you visually enhance your data.
Make your data more accessible with Salesforce!
As a Salesforce integrator, we apply this method in particular, advising and optimizing your data to suit your needs.