Graphicacy

The ability to read, interpret, and communicate information presented in graphs, charts, maps, and other visual representations of data. Graphicacy is considered a foundational literacy alongside reading, writing, and numeracy. It involves three progressive stages: reading the data (identifying visual elements), reading between the data (comparing values and identifying patterns), and reading beyond the data (making inferences and connecting to outside knowledge). For accessibility, graphicacy barriers can compound—early misunderstandings become embedded in mental models and cause larger errors during later interpretation stages.