How do you pick the right chart or graph for your data?If you have data you want to visualize, make sure you use the right charts. While your data might work with multiple chart types, it’s up to you to select the one that ensures your message is clear and accurate. Remember, data is only valuable if you know how to visualize it and give context. Show
We’ll give you an overview of the different chart types and explain how to pick the right one. What story does your data tell?Before making a chart it's important to understand why you need one. Charts, maps, and infographics help people understand complicated data, find patterns, identify trends, and tell a story. Think about the message you want to share with your audience. Follow best charting practices. Your numbers need to add up and charts need to be scaled accordingly. What would you like to show? There are four main types of charts: Source: The Extreme Presentation Method Learn how to use storytelling best practices to create stunning images and powerful presentations that drive audience engagement. ComparisonComparison charts are used to compare one or more datasets. They can compare items or show differences over time. RelationshipRelationship charts are used to show a connection or correlation between two or more variables. CompositionComposition charts are used to display parts of a whole and change over time. DistributionDistribution charts are used to show how variables are distributed over time, helping identify outliers and trends. Selecting the right chart typeAsk yourself how many variables do you want to show, how many data points you want to display and how you want to scale your axis. Line, bar and column charts represent change over time. Pyramids and pie charts display parts-of-a-whole. While scatter plots and treemaps are helpful if you have a lot of data to visualize. Types of ChartsLine ChartsA line chart reveals trends or change over time. Line charts can be used to show relationships within a continuous data set, and can be applied to a wide variety of categories, including daily number of visitors to a site or variations in stock prices. Best practices for creating line charts:
Pie ChartsThe pie chart is one of the most used and hated chart types of all time. Pie charts are used to show parts of a whole. A pie chart represents numbers in percentages, and the total sum of all the divided segments equals 100 percent. Best practices for creating pie charts:
Bar Charts and Column ChartsBar and column charts are used to compare different items. Bars on a column chart are vertical while bars on a bar chart are horizontal. Bar charts are generally used to help avoid clutter when one data label is long or if you have more than 10 items to compare. They are easy to understand and to create. Best practices for creating bar and column charts:
TreemapTreemaps show parts of a whole. They display hierarchical information as a cluster of rectangles varying in size and color, depending on their data value. The size of each rectangle represents a quantity, while the color can represent a number value or a category.
Best practices for creating a Treemap
Dual Axis ChartWith a dual axis chart you are essentially combining multiple charts and adding a second y-axis for comparison. Some members of the data visualization community are skeptical about the use of dual axis charts because they can often be confusing, poorly designed, and misleading to the viewer. Let’s go over the different types of dual axis charts and the best ways to use them: Column and Line Chart– This dual axis chart combines a column chart with a line chart. Dual Line Chart – This dual axis chart compares two line charts. There can be more than two lines if need be. Dual Column Chart– This dual axis column chart shows two sets of data displayed side by side. Multiple Axes Chart – This displays the most complex version of the dual axis chart. Here you see three sets of data – with three y-axes. Area ChartArea charts are a lot like line charts, with a few subtle differences. They can both show change over time, overall trends, and continuity across a dataset. But, while area charts may function the same way as line charts, the space between the line and axis is filled in, indicating volume. Best practices for creating Area charts
Pyramid ChartPyramid charts (triangle chart or triangle diagram) are a fun way to visualize foundation based relationships. ey appear in the form of a triangle that has been divided into horizontal sections with categories labeled according to their hierarchy. They can be oriented up or down depending on the relationships they represent. The stacked layers can also show the order of steps in a particular process. Best practices for creating Pyramid Charts
Word CloudWord clouds (also known as tag clouds) are a type of weighted list. Word clouds display text in varying font sizes, weight, or colors to show frequencies or categories. They can be arranged alphabetically or at random. They help people identify trends and patterns that might have been difficult to see otherwise. Best practices for creating a Word Cloud
TablesTables display data in rows and columns. Tables make it easy to compare pairs of related values or to display qualitative information (e.g. quarterly sales over several years). There are multiple reasons you might select a table over a graph, as the right way to visualize your data. Best practices for creating reporting tables
What type of data is displayed in a column chart?Column charts are useful for showing data changes over a period of time or for illustrating comparisons among items. In column charts, categories are typically organized along the horizontal axis and values along the vertical axis.
Which chart type can display different data series?A combination chart can be made up of area, bar, column, dot, and line charts. Each data series can be represented by a different type of chart. They are all then displayed simultaneously on the same chart.
Which of the following identifies how data is represented in a chart?A chart's legend shows what kind of data is represented in the chart. By default, the text that appears in the legend is taken from the chart's data range. Series are sets of related data. A chart can have one or more series.
What type of chart can display only one data series at a time?Pie charts show the size of items in one data series, proportional to the sum of the items. The data points in a pie chart are shown as a percentage of the whole pie. Consider using a pie chart when: You have only one data series.
|