1. A method of operating a computing device for processing graphical objects having at least one visual characteristic, the method comprising: analyzing, via at least one processor a data set to determine one or more graphical objects that are suitable for visually representing the data set; determining a plurality of dimensions of the data set; determining at least one of the graphical objects that has graphical object characteristics that are suitable for representing the determined dimensions of the data set; and determining one or more parameters of the at least one visual characteristic that can be varied to visually represent data with the at least one of the graphical objects, the determining including determining at least one of the one or more parameters without user input to the determining; and storing, in association with a representation of the at least one of the graphical objects, metadata that defines a capacity of the at least one visual characteristic to represent data.