#22174: Choose what colors we should use for the consensus-health line graphs --------------------------------------+-------------------------- Reporter: tom | Owner: linda Type: defect | Status: assigned Priority: Medium | Milestone: Component: Metrics/Consensus Health | Version: Severity: Normal | Resolution: Keywords: | Actual Points: Parent ID: | Points: Reviewer: | Sponsor: --------------------------------------+--------------------------
Comment (by linda): This is a complex question, but it depends what kind of data you are trying to represent. Data is commonly split into three categories: a) increasing values along a single dimension b) diverging values around the center of a scale c) discrete categories This will determine the kind of colors you would want to use. For a), it is typical to have few colors and use varying shades of darkness to display information [https://lisacharlotterost.github.io/pic/160423-colorpicker1.png example], whereas this is not true for b) and c). Since I don't know the type of information the health consensus data will look like, you will need to have a look at it before determining what coloring scheme to use. My initial instinct is that the data looks like either a) or b), because when I think of "health," I think of "mildly healthy to invincibly healthy"(a) or "really sick to really healthy"(b), but I could be wrong. So check this out as a starting place: * color schemes to use for increasing values in a single dimension ("mildly healthy to invincibly healthy," a), where you want 9-11 colors and to prefer them be colorblind safe: [http://colorbrewer2.org/#type=sequential&scheme=BuGn&n=9 9 color palettes, colorblind safe] * color schemes to use for in divergent values around the center of a scale ("really sick to really healthy," b) where you want 9-11 colors and to prefer them be colorblind safe: [http://colorbrewer2.org/#type=diverging&scheme=BrBG&n=11 11 color palettes, colorblind safe] Those above links are from a tool called ColorBrewer, where Cynthia Brewer did a bunch of research, wayyy more than me. Her research is incorporated into R's ggplot, and a whole bunch of things that are the standard for information visualization. So I defer to her expertise on this one. (I am not opposed to just telling you my most favorite 11 colors if it tickles your fancy, but I advise against this.) As you will see in the links above, the palette offer multiple coloring options. Take the [http://colorbrewer2.org/#type=sequential&scheme=BuGn&n=9 first link]--- and look at the gradient of green vs the gradient of red. That can send a different type of message, due to psychological associations with color. Green looks like a calm map of the highlights while red seems like a doomsday map. So, all the colorblindness-proofing and color-distinciveness being equal, pick the message you want to send with the colors or pick the one that "feels" the best to you! I suggest using this tool above and picking one of those palettes, but if this is not satisfactory, or if you want to verify my claims, try poking around online with keywords such as "information visualization," "visually distinct colors," or "color perception." I hope this helps! ヽ(•◡•)ノ -- Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/22174#comment:2> Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/> The Tor Project: anonymity online _______________________________________________ tor-bugs mailing list tor-bugs@lists.torproject.org https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-bugs