How to Choose the Right Chart to Tell Your Story

Submitted by schwarz on

image credit: crackerjack_777 via FlickrWhen you have a spreadsheet that's chock full of numbers and statistics that's hard for your audience to interpret, you can have Excel create a chart from your data to better convey the meaning behind the numbers.

But what kind of chart should you choose? Which one will work best with the data you've got?

If you choose a chart that doesn't present your information effectively, it could make it harder for your audience to understand what you're trying to convey.  Once you identify the story you want to tell, you'll have a better idea for the most effective way to visualize your data.

Use the free Data Visualization 101: How to Design Charts and Graphs [PDF] guide to learn...

  • how to avoid rookie mistakes
  • best practices for each type of chart
  • how to find the story in your data
  • the case against the pie chart

Sources:
• Data Visualization 101: How to Design Charts and Graphs guide's download page at HubSpot and Visage
• Excel 2010 > Working with Charts > To Create a Chart
• image credit: "accurate-pie-chart" by crackerjack_777 via Flickr is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
• Hat tip to Beth Kanter

Topic: