13.6 Explanatory titles and annotation

A topic title names the subject: “Annual Visits by Centre.”

An explanatory title states the conclusion: “Visit growth is concentrated at Central and Lakeside.”

The title should communicate the intended takeaway without claiming more than the figure shows. An annotation can identify a policy change, missing period, facility closure, or other context required to interpret the pattern.

Worked Example: Redesigning an NVRW Chart

The first chart displays monthly visits for four centres using four saturated colours, a dark background, twelve vertical gridlines, a separate legend, and the title “Visits.”

The revision uses thin grey lines for stable centres, two direct-labelled accent lines for Central and Lakeside, a light reference line for the facility-expansion month, and the title “Evening visit growth is concentrated at two centres.” The underlying values do not change. The design makes the project conclusion easier to see.