Juice Analytics has a great writeup of Edward Tufte’s “Small Multiples” concept, using many small iconic visualizations to replace large overly complex ones.
Small multiples can show rich, multi-dimensional data without trying to cram all that information into a single, overly-complex chart. Small multiples go by many names, including Trellis Chart, Lattice Chart, Grid Chart, and Panel Chart. I would even argue that sparklines are a simpler, smaller cousin of small multiples
Along the way he shows many examples and references from the likes of Many Eyes, Stephen Few, and Tableau. Definitely worth a read;
via Better Know a Visualization: Small Multiples: Juice Analytics.
