1. Use color for meaning.
Rather than using a rainbow of colors that highlight everything, use color to highlight the point you are trying to make.
2. Put your finding in the headline.
Don't bury your point or assume your reader will dig to understand your takeaway. Spell it out in the headline.
3. Remove distracting elements.
The focus should be on the data that showcases your point. Remove distracting gridlines, copy, or other unnecessary elements.
4. Delight with small customizations.
Everybody has seen the default graphs that programs like Excel and PowerPoint product by default. Stand apart by custom designing even small elements in your graph like the bar widths, the background, the legend display or others.
