8.12 Choosing the Right Chart
| Your question | Best chart | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Compare categories (cities, stores) | Column / Bar (sorted) | Pie with many slices |
| Ranking (Top 10 products) | Sorted bar | Unsorted column |
| Trend over time | Line (many periods), Column (few) | Pie, scatter |
| Part of whole (≤ 5 parts) | Pie / Doughnut, 100% stacked bar | 3D pie |
| Parts over time | Stacked column / Stacked area | Many pies |
| Two measures, different scales | Combo with secondary axis | Two unrelated charts |
| Relationship between two numbers | Scatter (+ trendline) | Line |
| Distribution | Histogram, Box & Whisker | Column of raw values |
| Start → end bridge | Waterfall | Stacked column |
| Stages that shrink | Funnel | Pie |
| Hierarchy share | Treemap, Sunburst | Nested pies |
| Geography | Filled Map | Map when geography isn't the point |
| Trend inside a table | Sparklines | Many tiny charts |
| Single KPI | Big number card (cell) with ▲▼ | A chart with one bar |
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
When choosing a chart, many students think "which chart looks nice?" Instead, ask "what is the question?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – and use this table. Don't put 7–8 different chart types on one dashboard; 3–4 types are enough.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
Chart निवडताना बरेच students "कोणता chart छान दिसतो?" असा विचार करतात. त्याऐवजी "प्रश्न काय आहे?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – असं विचारा, आणि हा table वापरा. एकाच dashboard वर 7-8 वेगळे chart types नकोत; 3-4 types पुरेसे.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
Chart चुनते समय बहुत से students सोचते हैं "कौन सा chart अच्छा दिखता है?". उसकी जगह पूछो "सवाल क्या है?" – compare, trend, share, relationship, distribution – और यह table इस्तेमाल करो. एक ही dashboard पर 7-8 अलग chart types नहीं; 3-4 types काफ़ी हैं.
Practice task
For each of these questions write the best chart and one sentence why: city ranking, monthly trend, payment mode share, delivery time distribution, sales bridge Oct→Nov.