On this page:
What are the best visualisations for your data?
“There are many different graphs and other types of visual display of information, but a handful will work for the majority of your needs”
Choosing the best form of visualisation for you data is not always easy. There are so many options available. You need to choose a visual that helps the viewer understand the story in your data. This page gives you some options depending on the purpose of your graphic.
How do you choose the best method of visualising the data you have?
Determining the most suitable visualisation for your data depends on various factors, including the type of data you have and the insights you want to convey. Here are some general guidelines for choosing visuals:
Inform about a single important data point
A single big number can stand on its own, be incorporated into an icon or be put next to other text to pull out the key fact.
A simple proportion can be shown as a doughnut or pie chart or a pictogram.
Show a change over time
Line charts can show many series over time, area charts can show a few series over time and a timeline shows specific events in time.
Compare categories or show the composition of something
Bar chart
Compares many categories
Bubble chart
Compares a few categories
Pie chart
Shows composition
Stacked bar chart
Composition across categories or over time
Bubble cloud
Shows composition across categories
Word cloud
Shows word frequencies
Show relationships like correlations or distributions
Histogram
Shows the distribution of single variable
Scatterplot
Shows the relationship between two continuous variables
Multi-series chart
Shows the relationship between more then one series over time
Organise items by grouping, ranking or showing processes
Simple list
Organises elements or a shows a process
Venn diagram
Indicates grouping and how they overlap
Mind map
Shows groupings and how they connect
Pyramid diagram
Indicates hierarchies and dependencies
Table
Organises a number of variables which can have different units
Ordered bar chart
Shows numerical rankings
