Communication of Information Using Charts

Abstract

In a knowledge-based and information-rich society, the effective transfer of data and information is essential to get on every day. Data and information – which are mostly used as synonyms to each other – have several definitions. If we distinguish between the two concepts, we can say that information is more than data. The information has to be transmitted in some way to the recipient (person), and it has several appearances (text, image, sound, etc.). According to cognitive psychology, humans are information-processing “units”. The information has to be communicated in such a way that it is quickly understood by the receiving party. If applied correctly, charts can be an effective way to transmit information, and they can represent trends, correlation exception, etc. This publication deals with some of the well-known types of charts, their main features, recommendations, and common errors that occur during their creation.