Gestalt Grouping.
The eye groups by proximity, similarity, enclosure, and connection.
The eye automatically groups elements by proximity, similarity, enclosure, and connection. Elements that are close together are perceived as related. Use whitespace and alignment to create visual structure without adding lines or boxes.
Wertheimer, 1923 · Applied by Ware, Few, and Munzner
Charts that apply this principle
Dumbbell Chart
Two dots connected by a line showing the gap between two values per category.
Grouped Bar Chart
Multiple bars per category placed side by side for direct comparison across groups.
Paired Bar Chart
Two bars per category placed adjacent for direct pairwise comparison.
100% Stacked Bar
Stacked bar normalized to 100% that compares proportions, not totals.
Marimekko Chart
A mosaic of variable-width columns that encodes two dimensions of part-to-whole.
Bee Swarm Plot
Uses a d3-force simulation to displace overlapping points outward from the value axis, so every observation stays visible and the swarm width encodes local density. Unlike a strip/jitter plot (random scatter) it is deterministic and density-aware; unlike a violin plot (kernel estimate) it preserves exact values.
Chord Diagram
Displays flows between entities arranged in a circle, with arc widths encoding volume of bidirectional relationships.
Sankey Diagram
Shows flows between nodes using bands whose width encodes quantity, revealing how resources move through a system.
Parliament Chart
Arranges dots in a hemicycle to show seat distributions in a legislative body, with color encoding party affiliation.
Alluvial Chart
Visualizes categorical flows across multiple stages using curved bands whose width encodes quantity, revealing how groups merge and split.
Bar Chart Race
An animated horizontal bar chart where bars re-sort over time to show how rankings change, creating a dynamic 'race' effect.
Bump Chart
Displays how the ranking of items changes over time using curved or straight lines that shift vertically to reflect position changes.