--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One thing to keep in mind with a table is…" description: "\"“One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want the design to fade into the background, letting the data take center stage. Don’t let heavy bo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg" --- # One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want… ![“One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want the design to fade into the background, letting the data take center stage. Don’t let heavy borders or shading compete for attention. Instead, think of using light borders or simply white space to set apart elements of the table.” quote by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg) > ““One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want the design to fade into the background, letting the data take center stage. Don’t let heavy borders or shading compete for attention. Instead, think of using light borders or simply white space to set apart elements of the table.”” [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Table design should recede, letting data dominate; avoid heavy borders, use light lines or white space for clarity. **In simple terms:** Design tables to highlight data, not decoration. Key Takeaway Keep tables minimalistic. Themes design visual hierarchy data presentation Mood professional educational Type instructional practical When to use this quote - reports - presentations - dashboards - infographics Key Concepts information design clarity Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance simplicity with completeness? - What visual cues aid data focus? A Different Perspective Over‑simplification may hide important details. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [White space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-space/) ## Related quotes > [If two smart, intelligent, clever guys sit together on a table, and you both want the same, where can be the problem? We all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jurgen-klopp/if-two-smart-intelligent-clever-guys-sit-together-on-a-table-and-you/) [Jurgen Klopp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jurgen-klopp/) > [I hate when I go to a restaurant and they ask Would you like a table? No, I want a Floor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arashi/i-hate-when-i-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-ask-would-you-like-a-table-2/) [Arashi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arashi/) > [As women, we have to realize what we bring to the table. What do you want to do for the world? How do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-rowland/as-women-we-have-to-realize-what-we-bring-to-the-table-what-do-you/) [Kelly Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-rowland/) > [I hate when I go to a restaurant and they ask Would you like a table? No, I want the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/every-teenage/i-hate-when-i-go-to-a-restaurant-and-they-ask-would-you-like-a-table/) [Every Teenage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/every-teenage/) > [“Nobody will do their best work until they have lots of white space on their calendars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/nobody-will-do-their-best-work-until-they-have-lots-of-white-space-on/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“Scrawled in the album’s white space, in an angry deeply-pushed biro that indented even the next page, were some words paraphrased from Tennyson’s Locksley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-drinkwater/scrawled-in-the-album-s-white-space-in-an-angry-deeply-pushed-biro/) [Karl Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-drinkwater/) > [Mausoleum air and anguished pauses: If this production were a poem, it would be mostly white space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-corliss/mausoleum-air-and-anguished-pauses-if-this-production-were-a-poem-it/) [Richard Corliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-corliss/) > [I don't think there is anything wrong with white space. I don't think it's a problem to have a blank wall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-leibovitz/i-don-t-think-there-is-anything-wrong-with-white-space-i-don-t-think/) [Annie Leibovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-leibovitz/) > [Singapore gives 10% "white space" time to all of its teachers to come up with their own innovations outside of the official curriculum. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/singapore-gives-10-white-space-time-to-all-of-its-teachers-to-come-up/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [You can tell it's a poem because it's swimming in a little gel pack of white space. That shows it's a poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/you-can-tell-it-s-a-poem-because-it-s-swimming-in-a-little-gel-pack/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [Memory doesn't come as a straight narrative. It comes in small moments with all this white space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-woodson/memory-doesn-t-come-as-a-straight-narrative-it-comes-in-small-moments/) [Jacqueline Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-woodson/) > [“By the time I got to high school, I had learned to be more cautious about revealing my dreams. I was reading—and therefore writing—adventure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-a-obreht/by-the-time-i-got-to-high-school-i-had-learned-to-be-more-cautious/) [Téa Obreht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-a-obreht/) > [I really felt like there was a white space in the market in the jewelry industry. There was very, very overpriced things that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kendra-scott/i-really-felt-like-there-was-a-white-space-in-the-market-in-the/) [Kendra Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kendra-scott/) > [There must be an open space in the paintings - an entry space for the viewer, or even for me. Just white space where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norbert-bisky/there-must-be-an-open-space-in-the-paintings-an-entry-space-for-the/) [Norbert Bisky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norbert-bisky/) > [Plenty of white space and generous line spacing,and don't make the type size too miserly. Then you will be assured of a product fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-bodoni/plenty-of-white-space-and-generous-line-spacing-and-don-t-make-the/) Giambattista Bodoni ## More by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic > [“My base color is grey, not black, to allow for greater contrast since color stands out more against grey than black. For my attention-grabbing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/my-base-color-is-grey-not-black-to-allow-for-greater-contrast-since/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“What do you need your audience to know or do? This is the point where you think through how to make what you communicate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/what-do-you-need-your-audience-to-know-or-do-this-is-the-point-where/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“The biggest shift was from a bar graph to a line graph. As we’ve discussed, line graphs typically make it easier to see trends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/the-biggest-shift-was-from-a-bar-graph-to-a-line-graph-as-we-ve/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“When you have just a number or two that you want to communicate: use the numbers directly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/when-you-have-just-a-number-or-two-that-you-want-to-communicate-use/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Concentrate on the pearls, the information your audience needs to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/concentrate-on-the-pearls-the-information-your-audience-needs-to-know/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Will you be encountering each other for the first time through this communication, or do you have an established relationship? Do they already trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/will-you-be-encountering-each-other-for-the-first-time-through-this/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Never again will you simply show data. Rather, you will create visualizations that are thoughtfully designed to impart information and incite action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/never-again-will-you-simply-show-data-rather-you-will-create/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Don’t show the second y-axis. Instead, label the data points that belong on this axis directly. Pull the graphs apart vertically and have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/don-t-show-the-second-y-axis-instead-label-the-data-points-that/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Figure 5.10 Add action title and annotation In Figure 5.10, thoughtful use of text makes the design accessible. It’s clear to the audience what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/figure-5-10-add-action-title-and-annotation-in-figure-5-10-thoughtful/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Affordances In the field of design, experts speak of objects having “affordances.” These are aspects inherent to the design that make it obvious how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/affordances-in-the-field-of-design-experts-speak-of-objects-having/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Horizontal bar chart If I had to pick a single go-to graph for categorical data, it would be the horizontal bar chart, which flips…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/horizontal-bar-chart-if-i-had-to-pick-a-single-go-to-graph-for/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Alignment The single change having the biggest impact in the preceding before-and-after example was the shift from center-aligned to left-justified text. In the original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/alignment-the-single-change-having-the-biggest-impact-in-the/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“What would a successful outcome look like? If you only had a limited amount of time or a single sentence to tell your audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/what-would-a-successful-outcome-look-like-if-you-only-had-a-limited/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“Highlighting one aspect can make other things harder to see One word of warning in using preattentive attributes: when you highlight one point in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/highlighting-one-aspect-can-make-other-things-harder-to-see-one-word/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) > [“We’ll discuss six principles here: proximity, similarity, enclosure, closure, continuity, and connection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/we-ll-discuss-six-principles-here-proximity-similarity-enclosure/) [Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) [Explore all 31 Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/) ## More Center stage quotes > [All too often, it is audacity and not talent that moves an artist to center stage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-cameron/all-too-often-it-is-audacity-and-not-talent-that-moves-an-artist-to/) [Julia Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-cameron/) > [“DR. OZ SPEAKS OUT FOR TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION Toward the end of April, 2012, Dr. Mehmet Oz took center stage at The Dr. Oz Show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-forem/dr-oz-speaks-out-for-transcendental-meditation-toward-the-end-of/) Jack Forem > [“The real powers at play never take center stage. Don't follow the marionette, follow the strings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/the-real-powers-at-play-never-take-center-stage-don-t-follow-the/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [I love the excitement, the center stage, the limelight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-riggs/i-love-the-excitement-the-center-stage-the-limelight/) [Bobby Riggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-riggs/) > [If you have a warm and caring heart, you're loved ones will ensure you never depart. For long after you've turned that final page…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/if-you-have-a-warm-and-caring-heart-you-re-loved-ones-will-ensure-you/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [I want to put the interests of ordinary working people right up there, center stage. Those people who - you know, they're working all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/i-want-to-put-the-interests-of-ordinary-working-people-right-up-there/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [To a large extent, the aged in our society are ghettoized. Old people are seen as useless, bypassed by history, old-fashioned, in the way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-keen/to-a-large-extent-the-aged-in-our-society-are-ghettoized-old-people/) [Sam Keen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-keen/) > [“Nobody takes center stage or dominates the conversation for long stretches of time. Equality is an important element in hygge—a trait that is deeply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meik-wiking/nobody-takes-center-stage-or-dominates-the-conversation-for-long/) [Meik Wiking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meik-wiking/) > [For most women, the language of conversation is primarily a language of rapport: a way of establishingconnections and negotiating relationships. Emphasis is placed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-most-women-the-language-of-conversation-is-primarily-a-language/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A publisher should always be on the receiving end. He should take an interest in almost any subject and remain anonymous, letting the author…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cass-canfield/a-publisher-should-always-be-on-the-receiving-end-he-should-take-an/) Cass Canfield > [“As the last curtain falls on a spent year, a new year pirouettes to center stage with the elegance and charm of a prima…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-toney-horton/as-the-last-curtain-falls-on-a-spent-year-a-new-year-pirouettes-to/) [Peggy Toney Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-toney-horton/) > [“The elementary and basic approach that I suggest places “the theory of markets” and not the “theory of resource allocation” at center stage. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-buchanan/the-elementary-and-basic-approach-that-i-suggest-places-the-theory-of/) [James M. Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-buchanan/) > [Standing center stage in the six foot circle of wood cut from the stage of the Ryman is something I never take for granted.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/standing-center-stage-in-the-six-foot-circle-of-wood-cut-from-the/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [Nicholas Hytner, who directed Center Stage, is a huge ballet fan. He was completely open, as was Bruce Beresford, to get our perspective. "No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-schull/nicholas-hytner-who-directed-center-stage-is-a-huge-ballet-fan-he-was/) [Amanda Schull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-schull/) > [“the corporate system that animates all the forces who would block the progress of a true pilgrim bound for the Celestial City. Vanity Fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-corporate-system-that-animates-all-the-forces-who-would-block-the/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) Browse all 84 Center stage quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want the design to fade into the background, letting the data take center stage. Don’t let heavy borders or shading compete for attention. Instead, think of using light borders or simply white space to set apart elements of the table.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-is-that-you-want-the-design-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Center stage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-is-that-you-want-the-design-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd0/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic-20054_center-stage_one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-i_2756229.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One thing to keep in mind with a table is that you want the design to fade into the background, letting the…” — Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“One thing to keep in mind...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-is-that-you-want-the-design-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-nussbaumer-knaflic/one-thing-to-keep-in-mind-with-a-table-is-that-you-want-the-design-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```