Description:
Charts and graphs are by the most popular forms of business information visualization, partly because computer applications like Excel and Lotus 1-2-3 made them easy to create. However, some charts are better than others for depicting certain types of information.
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Comparison
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Choose from these charts
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One thing over time
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Line chart
Surface chart,
Frequency chart
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Column chart
Grouped column
Stacked column
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Deviation column
Histogram
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One thing to another
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Column chart
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Bar chart
Grouped chart
Stacked bar
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Deviation bar
Sliding bar
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Parts of a whole
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Pie chart
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100% column chart
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Correlation of data
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Scatter gram
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Paired-bar chart
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Percentage of change
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Semilog chart
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Index chart
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Items in a structure
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Diagram
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Precise data
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Table
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From Dr. Wm. Gribbons, Visualizing Information, Bentley College
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Strengths:
- Convey quantitative data
- Help users identify trends, patterns
- Can be used in both static and dynamic visualizations
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Uses:
- Multivariate displays
- Historical information
- Financial information
- Statistical information
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Weaknesses:
- Some occlusion of data occurs when items overlap or obscure each other in static 3D representations
- Total user control over preferences and elements can lead to "chart junk"
- If the wrong chart is used the wrong variables will get compared.
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Links:
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