Match the Chart to the Analytical Job
Select charts by the analytical task and data structure instead of by habit or visual novelty.
The chart is a tool for a specific visual task. Ask the job first Ranking asks, "Which is bigger?" Evolution asks, "How is it changing?" Distribution asks, "What is typical and what is unusual?" Correlation asks, "Do two measures move together?" Part-to-whole asks, "How is the total composed?" The chart should make that job easier, not prettier. Respect perceptual strength Common baselines, position, and length are read more accurately than angle and area. That is why bars beat pies for many comparisons, lines beat repeated single-number tiles for time, and scatterplots beat side-by-side tables for relationship checks. Use novelty sparingly…
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