Description
Design principle from Edward Tufte's "Envisioning Information" (1990) advocating for minimal visual distinctions that still communicate effectively, avoiding unnecessary graphical elaboration. Tufte argues that designers should "make all visual distinctions as subtle as possible, but still clear and effective" — using the least amount of ink, color difference, or line weight needed to convey the distinction. The principle counters the tendency to over-differentiate elements with bold colors or thick lines, instead favoring quiet, refined graphics where muted grays and thin lines allow the data to speak without visual noise.
