Let your data speak for itself

Good design effortlessly directs attention to what matters while downplaying what doesn't. In this way, the best designs and writing share everything they need with minimal fluff and arresting clarity.

Many an interface, flyer, or layout I've seen has benefited from a healthy dose of cutting out what's already evident.

A common candidate for culling is the labels attached to forms of data that are self-evident without introduction. These often include email addresses, phone numbers, dates and prices, and with the right context, may extend to authors, addresses and more. We don't need someone to tell us that [email protected] is an email address, nor that the string of numbers next to it is a phone number.

It's not a blanket rule—good design needs careful consideration of audience and context—but it's a simple step to making the information you want to shine come to the fore.

Related Ideas to Let Your Data Speak for Itself

• The golden ratio
• The 60-30-10 colour rule
• Compound naming conventions
• Use styling instead of colons
• Design for a look, a glance and a read
• The blur your eyes test

This sketch appears in my book Big Ideas Little Pictures