Chapter 1 of 7 · 4 practices · 3 min · 3-question quiz
Start from the question and choose the chart
The right chart follows from the message and the shape of the data. These practices pick a chart type before any styling happens.
Start: Write the chart's message in a sentence before you draw it4 practices in this chapter
- 1Write the chart's message in a sentence before you draw itThe Analysis Function's chart guidance says that if you cannot write down the message your chart gives in a few sentences, you should rethink the chart. A message is a finding, not a topic: The…
- 2Match the chart type to the relationship you want to showMost messages fall into a handful of relationships, each with a natural chart: The Analysis Function recommends a line chart rather than bars when there is more than one time series, and suggests a…
- 3Use pie charts only for a few categories with one dominant shareThe Analysis Function limits pie charts to part-to-whole data with five categories or fewer, ideally where one category dominates, and notes they are hard to understand when magnified, which matters…
- 4Split crowded charts into small multiplesThe Analysis Function notes that more than four lines often makes a line chart too cluttered, and recommends a maximum of four categories in each stacked bar and four bars per cluster. When you have…
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