Data-ink ratio
54 • Data–Ink Ratio
Data ink refers to the ink (or pixels) that represents the actual data in a visualization. The Data-Ink Ratio measures the proportion of ink used to represent data compared to the total amount of ink used in the graphical presentation, including non-data elements. In visual design, it is therefore essential to prioritize increasing the data-ink ratio by utilizing data ink exclusively and minimizing or eliminating non-essential ink. By doing so, the focus remains on the data rather than unnecessary or decorative design elements such as gradients, shadows, borders, labels, widgets, or enthusiastic gridlines.