House style for data visualisation
Data visualisation design guidelines
Colour
There are different ways to use our brand colours depending on what you are trying to visualise.
One thing, eg NHS budget over time, number of people who agree with a statement
Scales, eg high–low or positive–negative
Parts of a whole, eg how a budget is spent
Multiple categories, eg changes in NHS workforce by type of job
How to use colour
-
A chart showing one thing, such as NHS budget over time or the number of people who agree with a statement, should use just one colour. The choice of palette will depend on the colour of the publication.
If a single data set is being highlighted, the background data should use the neutral palette.
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colour Bright red Bright blue Bright green Bright purple Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black -
Scales can have a single direction (eg 1–5) or two directions spreading out from the centre (eg very good, good, neither good nor bad, bad, very bad).
Single direction
For scales of a single direction, try to use a single palette moving from deep (most intense) to light (least intense). Black can be used if you require a fifth colour).
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours (Black) Deep red Mid red Bright orange Light orange (Black) Deep blue Mid blue Bright blue Light blue (Black) Deep green Mid green Bright green Light green (Black) Deep purple Mid purple Bright purple Light purple Two directions
For scales operating in two directions, use two complementary palettes and move from deep colours at either end of the scale to lighter shades nearer the centre. Grey can be used as neutral (eg neither good nor bad).
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Deep red Bright orange 50% black Bright purple Deep purple Deep blue Bright blue 50% black Bright green Deep Green Deep green Bright green 50% black Bright blue Deep blue Deep purple Bright purple 50% black Bright orange Deep red -
The choice of colours and palettes depends on how many individual things you are trying to visualise. Neutral options, such as 'don't know' or 'neither good nor bad', should be visualised in the neutral palette and do not count towards this number.
These guidelines are designed to maximise consistency (similar things being similar colours) as well as contrast between colours. Where more than one palette is required, the remaining colours are taken from the complementary palette.
Two colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Deep red Light orange Deep blue Light blue Deep green Light green Deep purple Light purple Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black Three colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Deep red Light orange Mid red Deep blue Light blue Mid blue Deep green Light green Mid green Deep purple Light purple Mid purple Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black Four colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Bright orange Deep red Light orange Mid red Bright blue Deep blue Light blue Mid blue Bright green Deep green Light green Mid green Bright purple Deep purple Light purple Mid purple Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black Five colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Light orange Deep red Bright orange Bright purple Deep purple Light blue Deep blue Bright blue Bright green Deep green Light green Deep green Bright green Bright blue Deep blue Light purple Deep purple Bright purple Bright orange Deep red Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black Six colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Mid red Light orange Deep red Bright orange Bright purple Deep purple Mid blue Light blue Deep blue Bright blue Bright green Deep green Mid green Light green Deep green Bright green Bright blue Deep blue Mid purple Light purple Deep purple Bright purple Bright orange Deep red Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black Seven colours (plus neutral)
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Mid red Light orange Deep red Bright orange Bright purple Deep purple Light purple Mid blue Light blue Deep blue Bright blue Bright green Deep green Light green Mid green Light green Deep green Bright green Bright blue Deep blue Light blue Mid purple Light purple Deep purple Bright purple Bright orange Deep red Light orange Neutral 50% black 50% black 50% black 50% black -
When representing things that are different from one another the choice of colours should be optimised for high contrast. Choose a palette and take the colours in order depending on how many you need.
Red palette Blue palette Green palette Purple palette Colours Bright orange Bright blue Bright purple Bright green Deep blue Deep green Bright blue Bright purple Bright green Bright orange Deep purple Deep red Bright green Bright orange Bright blue Bright purple Deep red Deep purple Bright purple Bright green Bright orange Bright blue Deep green Deep blue
House style for referencing
This guide provides information on the referencing style for King's Fund publications.