Institutional researchers are acutely aware of the systemic inequities pervasive throughout higher education in the United States because the data that we collect, analyze, visualize, and disseminate quantifies and reveals them. As calls for addressing issues of equity have intensified across campuses, the question of how institutional research can contribute to this cause presents an opportunity to apply a transformative approach to a field traditionally grounded in positivism and post-positivism. This study explored how quantitative critical theory can be applied to one of the most visible and widely-used quantitative products of IR -- data visualization. Utilizing a conceptual framework developed from a synthesis of evaluation literature, this study introduces the concept of equity-focused design. Four key design elements -- text, colors, data disaggregation, and sorting -- were identified as opportunities to encode critical concepts into graphical components. Given the importance for visualizations to present accurate data that can be trusted for decision-making, equity-focused designs must maintain a balance between critical inquiry and quantitative rigor. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to test how data visualizations designed with an equity-focus were perceived and how they performed in comparison to traditional designs. A survey collected data from 44 institutional researchers across the U.S, measuring their reactions to various design prototypes and testing whether they could accurately interpret data from visualizations with an equity-focused design. Key findings from this study indicate that using quantitative critical theory to make design choices does not impact how data visualizations perform but does impact how they are perceived, and whether users' perceptions lean positive or negative depends largely on the specific design choices that are made. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]