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One of Tufte's tenets is to Maximize the Data:Ink Ratio, meaning chartmakers should let the data shine through and not cloud it over with information-free meaningless lines. Tufte also suggests letting art inspire our information design. Joan Miro is an artist who conveys whimsy and meaning with a parsimonious use of strokes and riotous use of color. Here his "Sonnenschlucker" -- or sunbather-- seems both dismayed and optimism while seemingly stuck behind bars.

Bar charts are frequently used in business presentations, but the inclusion of many charting options like gridlines and tick marks often detracts from the message in the data. Let's see if we can't justify Sonnenschlucker's optimism by making our bar chart weigh somewhat less heavily on his mind while allowing its meaning to shine through.