Show the comparison between categories

When you are comparing category A with category B. Best to show data vertical.
Show the development over time or a trend Show the part to whole relation Chart design tips
When you want to show the change of category A and B over time. Best to show data horizontal. When you want to show how A, B and C add up to the total ABC.
bar grouped bar diverging stacked bar deviation bar column line dot-line graph 100% stacked bar 100% stacked column 100% bar 100% waterfall Use 2D
0 0
0 100%
a 42% 100% 42%
30 30
b 25%

c 21% 25% 20
0% 100% 20
d 12% 21%
10
! ! ! ! 0 ! ! ! ! 0% ! 100% ! 12% ! 10
nominal comparison two variables opposing variables delta between single measure in time continuous time aggregated in time one category in time multiple categories adding up breakdown
0 0
floating column stacked bar panel bar vertical waterfall deviation column deviation line slopegraph pareto sankey waffle unit
0

100%
88%
96% 100% True scaling, bar or column start at zero
0%
67% 75%

0 0
42% 30

30
20
! ! ! ! 10 6 5 2 1 !
! ! 2016 2017
20
10
delta between one category and totals multiple categories visual calculation above or below target versus cumulative target two time stamps 80 / 20 analysis flow show in relation to 100 image count
x/y coördinate dumbbell proportional size pictogram waterfall dot plot sparklines tree map parallel set nested area map marimekko 0 10
100%
y a 7 9 20% 80%
a 8 10 31 23
b 8 11 1
86%
70% True scaling, use a single Y axis
b 10 11
10 8% 54%

c 7 12
c 11 12
3 5
x d 10 14
30 30 12
d 90
9 16
70 76
e 12 17 ! 0 1/1 31/12 ! e 13 17
! ! 0%
20 20 8
measure combination two groups sizing image count change in time before and after mini trend comparing sizes part to multiple whole parts inside other parts plus extra variable
10 10 4
bullet graph parallel coordinate deviation average radial column cycle plot horizon area pie donut 100% stacked area image fill
100% 0 0
0 0

average 50% Straight corners show true numbers

30 30
0%
! k l m n ! 12345 12345 12345 12345 12345
mon tue wed thu fri !
repeating time series high and low not recommended not recommended not recommended not recommended image filled 20 20
in context, bad/ok/good multi variate data deviation from average not recommended

Choose and design

wordcloud radial bar radar gauge
5 10 10

Enhancements
a
bar
4

b
visual diagram
3

c 2
0 0
axis
chart
1

data Techniques to enhance a chart.

column legend
descriptive title arrows Use a maximum of 4 series
numbers graph y

your Perfect Chart

Product a scored second

not recommended not recommended not recommended not recommended c

d
x

Show the relation between the data elements b

!
When you want to show how A, B and C relate to each other. storytelling change
funnel venn timeline gantt direct label grid Apply relevant ranking

2005
2007
“What would you like to show?” 23

15
20
c a

11 a b
Show the distribution of your dataset Correlation Other
2004 2011 8
! ! ! ! d c
! To show the correlation When A and B relate
conversion overlapping time planning When you want to show how often the letters A, B and C each appear in the dataset. between A and B. in another way. exact value easy comparing b d
organization chart flowchart network bump dot matrix frequency polygon box plot scatterplot maps small multiples heatmap
? ? Use color sparingly and unify fill and outline
yes yes
no no

3 ?
? yes no
1 2 ?
?
x y no yes 11 16 11 16 11 16 11 16 11 16
a b c d e
! -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
! ! !
hierarchical questions network rank over time frequency count distribution with median correlation geospatial multiple series (geo) spatial
Copyright, poster and chart design: www.Chart.Guide - Poster version 3.5

sunburst chord diagram dendrogram position age distribution histogram violin bubble risk index error bars
60+

51-60 150
Highlight what is important

Likelyhood
41-50
disagree agree
100
31-40

21-30
50
11-20

0-10 ! Consequence ! 0 0 !
nested composition relations clustering take position two categories over interval box plot + density not recommended risk relative change uncertainty

Show the numbers Emphasizes the delta between two subgroups

To show the exact value of A, B or C.
It’s about data, axis only assist

6
number words table deviation box tally script image Gives you insights when you are analysing your dataset

4 VII
Useful for communicating your insights in infographics or presentations
team earned share

eight
blue € 10 42%

!
yellow € 6 25%
green € 5 20%
real plan Great for monitoring your data in a dashboard
red € 2 13%
! ! 20 16 ! Only use this chart, when your readers know how to read it
single value text based text and numbers hierarchy hand counted font or style symbol

More chart and designtips at www.Chart.Guide info@Chart.Guide /ChartGuide @Chart_Guide /ChartGuide