Enhance Your Charts

Aesthetics seems to be a dirty word in some tech circles. Upon closer examination, however, it is apparent that making things “Look Good” definitely has its place in Excel as well as technology in general.  Why is that important?  Well, just take a look at products by Apple.  Sure, they do a good job, but they also look good, and are therefore add sensory appeal for the user.

When it comes to Charts, Excel 2007 (and Excel 2010) gave you much more control over how your work Looks!

Excel 2007 ushered in the Ribbon, which is clearly a great advantage to anyone making Charts.  Double-clicking on your chart will pull up the Design Ribbon, giving you several ways to improve the appearance of visually-displayed data.  Among the possibilities that are readily are the following Options for you on this ribbon:

1.      Change the Chart Type (easy access to all major types)

2.      Chart Layouts (5 different ways to display titles, labels, legends, etc)

3.      Chart Styles (a sizeable variety of color and 3-D options)

You can also go to the Format tab and find a myriad of ways to further Customize the look of your chart with:

1.      Bevels

2.      Soft Edges

3.      Shadows

4.      Much More

So, once again, why is this important?  Please consider this:  If your audience is going to Understand the Message your chart is conveying, they are going to need to Like it First!  As in all good communication:

1.      Engage Your Audience

2.      Convey Your Message

Cheers!