Module 2/4 28 min
Choosing and cleaning the chart
Step 1 / 2·Choose the form by the question
0/2 steps done
Learning objectives — after this module you will:
- Choose the chart form by the question it answers
- Remove the elements that create noise
- Use colour and labels to lead the eye
Learn ~12 min
Choose the form by the question
Do not choose a chart by habit or by how it looks.
Which question calls for which form
| The audience's question | The right form |
|---|---|
| Which is bigger than which? | Horizontal bars, sorted by value |
| How has it changed over time? | A line, with time along the horizontal axis |
| How much drops off at each step? | A funnel, or bars descending by step |
| How is it distributed? | A distribution chart, not a single average |
| What share does one part hold? | One large number with a sentence — no pie chart needed |
A multi-slice pie chart is almost always a poor choice
The eye compares wedge areas badly. Beyond three slices, a row of horizontal bars sorted by value always reads more easily. If you only want to state one proportion, write that number very large.