The document provides suggestions for different types of charts to visualize various types of data. It lists common chart types like bar charts, column charts, line charts, scatter plots, histograms and pie charts. It then provides guidance on which chart type may be best suited based on characteristics of the data like the number of variables, categories, data points, whether the data is cyclical or static, and whether relative or absolute differences matter.

1. Chart Suggestions—A Thought-Starter
Variable Width Table or Table with Bar Chart Column Chart Circular Area Chart Line Chart Column Chart Line Chart
Column Chart Embedded Charts
Many Items Few Items Cyclical Data Non-Cyclical Data Single or Few Categories Many Categories
Two Variables Many
per Item Categories
Few Categories Many Periods Few Periods
One Variable per Item
Over Time
Among Items
Column Histogram
Few
Single Data
Comparison Variable Points
Scatter Chart Two
Variables
What would you Line Histogram
Relationship Distribution Many
like to show? Data
Points
Bubble Chart
Th ree
Composition Scatter Chart
Variables Two
Variables
Changing Static
Over Time 3D Area Chart
Th ree
Few Periods Many Periods Variables
Only Relative Relative and Absolute Only Relative Relative and Absolute Simple Share Accumulation or Components
Differences Matter Differences Matter Differences Matter Differences Matter of Total Subtraction to Total of Components
Stacked 100% Stacked Stacked 100% Stacked Area Chart Pie Chart Waterfall Chart Stacked 100% Column Chart
Column Chart Column Chart Area Chart with Subcomponents
© 2006 A. Abela — a.v.abela@gmail.com