Understanding Chart Types
People who create charts usually do so to make a point or to communicate a specific message. Often, the message is explicitly stated in the chart’s title or in a text box within the chart. The chart itself provides visual support.
Choosing the correct chart type is often a key factor in the effectiveness of the message. Therefore, it’s often well worth your time to experiment with various chart types to determine which one conveys your message best.
In almost every case, the underlying message in a chart is some type of comparison. Examples of some general types of comparisons include:
Compare item to other items: For example, a chart may compare sales in each of a company’s sales regions.
Compare data over time: For example, a chart may display sales by month and indicate trends over time.
Make relative comparisons: An example is a common pie chart that depicts relative values in terms of pie “slices.”
Compare data relationships: An XY chart is ideal for this comparison. For example, you might show the relationship between marketing expenditures and sales.
Frequency comparison: You can use a common histogram, for example, to display the number (or percentage) of students who scored within a particular grade range.
Identify “outliers” or unusual situations: If you have thousands of data points, creating a scatter chart may help identify data that is not representative.
Choosing a chart type
A common question among Excel users is “How do I know which chart ...
Get Office 2007 Bible now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
