Although these rules are simple, they are easily violated. Indeed, as Focus 14-2 explains, many annual reports contain graphs that violate these design principles. Often, such violations are created automatically by the software program used to create the graph. Other times, the graph designer purposely chooses to violate these principles in order to create a special effect or to dramatize some particular aspect of the data. As the top portion of Figure 14-11 demonstrates, such violations are sometimes helpful.Usually, however, breaking the rules results in graphs that may be misleading, as in Figure 14-12. Therefore, accountants and information systems professionals should strive to follow the principles of proper graph design whenever possible.
Focus 14-2 Graphs in Annual Reports
For more than 25 years, researchers have examined the use of graphs in published annual reports. A surprising finding is that many annual reports contain graphs that violate the principles of proper graph design. The problem has persisted over time, being documented in annual reports published during the late 1970s through those published in the 21 stcentury. The problem is also international: improperly designed graphs have been found in annual reports published in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and Asia.