What should a chart review include?

Review the claim, source, scale, units, colour, labels, uncertainty, accessibility, interaction, responsive layout and maintenance ownership.

Why are truncated bar charts misleading?

Because bar length encodes magnitude, a non-zero baseline can visually exaggerate differences unless the design makes a justified alternative unmistakable.

How do you make a chart accessible?

Use meaningful text, sufficient contrast, non-colour cues, keyboard-operable interaction and an accessible table or structured equivalent for detailed values.

Do tooltips make a chart accessible?

Not by themselves. Essential information must also be available to keyboard, touch and assistive-technology users.

How should missing data be shown?

Distinguish missing, suppressed, not applicable and zero, and avoid connecting gaps as if observations were available.

Should charts show their data source?

Yes. Include a source and freshness note appropriate to the context, with enough lineage for maintainers to reproduce the result.

Who should approve a consequential chart?

Use the data owner plus suitable domain, accessibility and risk reviewers when the visualization may influence high-impact decisions.

Data Visualization

Chart Design Review: Accuracy and Accessibility Checklist

A correct chart type can still mislead through a truncated scale, hidden denominator, inaccessible colour or stale data. Chart review is a release discipline that tests the visual, data and surrounding decision context together. This checklist helps authors

Ruskin Felix Barar19 December 2025Updated 6 October 202614 min read

Chart Design Review: Accuracy and Accessibility Checklist

A correct chart type can still mislead through a truncated scale, hidden denominator, inaccessible colour or stale data. Chart review is a release