Graphs and Charts
Graphs and Charts
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Graphs and charts are commonly used in magazines, newspapers, brochures, websites, and television to present information in a clear and visually appealing way. They often accompany articles or stories to provide data or insights in a format that is easy to understand. These visual tools can include supporting images or graphics to help emphasise key points and make the information more engaging for the audience.
Pie Chart
Pie Chart
A pie chart is usually shown as a circle. This circle represents the ‘whole’ number and is divided into segments by line running from the centre. Each segment forms part of the whole number.
When to use:
When to use:
- To display parts of a whole number like percentages or fractions
- When comparing a small number of categories (ideally 5–7 slices).
- Emphasising the largest or smallest portion of data.
- When data is straightforward and doesn’t require much detail.
When not to use:
When not to use:
- For side-by-side comparisons - bar or column charts work better
- To show large numbers of parts.
- When it contains some small components. Avoid if there are too many slices, as it can become cluttered and hard to read.
- When Exact Values Matter: Pie charts only give a visual estimate; use a table or bar chart if precise numbers are needed.
- For Data Without a Clear Whole: Don’t use if the data doesn’t represent parts of a single total.
Bar Chart
Bar Chart
A bar chart can be a row of bars showing how values compare against each other. The bars can show horizontally or vertically.
When to use:
When to use:
- To Compare Categories, showing differences between groups or categories
- For Large Data Sets: Can handle many categories without becoming cluttered.
- When individual figures must be highlighted
When not to use:
When not to use:
- For Continuous Data: Avoid if data changes smoothly over time—line graphs are better.
- When Showing Proportions: Pie charts work better for showing parts of a whole.
- For Small Data Sets: A table may be clearer if there are only one or two values.
Line Graph
Line Graph
A line graph is often used to show quantities plotted over a period of time. The X-axis (horizontal scale) represents time, and the Y-axis (vertical scale) represents the quantities. The line is then plotted on a grid.
When to use:
When to use:
- Shows trends over time: Ideal for showing changes, growth, or patterns over a period of time
- For continuous data: Works well for data with no breaks (e.g. temperature or stock prices)
- For comparing multiple data sets: It is easy to track different lines to compare trends
When not to use:
When not to use:
- Avoid using this approach if the data is divided into distinct groups or categories—bar charts are more suitable
- If exact figures are important: A table is preferable when specific values need to be emphasised
Table
Table
A table displays numbers or words in rows and columns. A spreadsheet is a computerised table that can be used to calculate data and produce graphs and charts.
When to use:
When to use:
- When individual figures are more important than the overall flow
- When comparing figures too far apart to show on a bar graph
- When displaying large amounts of very precise information
When not to use:
When not to use:
- When you can use one of the other 3 charts.
Visual Data Representation
Visual Data Representation
Designers can show data from graphs and charts without using numbers by using visual elements to show differences. For example, they might use colour gradients, where darker or brighter colours mean larger values. They could also change font sizes so bigger text shows bigger data. Other methods include making lines thicker, using bigger icons, or arranging items to show importance. These techniques make data easy to understand just by looking, without needing to read numbers.
Examples
Examples
A Pie chart was used to show parts of a whole number. This was a good option for the electricity output as the information is simple and doesn't require much detail.
The designer has changed the size of circles, with the largest percentage being the biggest circle. They have also increased the font size. Each slice of the building gets smaller as the percentage decreases.
A line graph was used for the temperature because it shows change over a period of time and compares two sets of data.
A Pie chart was used as it shows parts of a whole number, emphasising the largest and smallest portions of data.
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