Nominal, sequential, or diverging? Simple strategies for improving any chart's colors

Colors can make or break a chart. Colors direct our eye movements, and therefore our brains and attention. It's up to you: will you help or hinder your reader's understanding?

Here are some simple strategies for communicating clearly with chart color:

• Strategy 1: Select a custom color palette.
• Strategy 2: Figure out if your categories are nominal, sequential, or diverging.
• Strategy 3: De-clutter by increasing white space and switching some black text to gray.