数据可视化101: How to Choose the Right Chart or Graph for Your Data

您和我筛选了很多数据。有关网站绩效，销售绩效，产品采用，客户服务，营销活动结果的数据...列表还在继续。

When you manage multiple内容资产，例如社交媒体或博客，有了多种数据来源，它可能会变得不堪重负。What should you be tracking? What actually matters?How do you visualize and analyze the dataso you can extract insights and actionable information?

M矿石重要的是，当您忙于一次从事多个项目时，如何使报告更加有效？

One of the struggles that slows down my own reporting and analysis is understanding what types of graphs to use -- and why. That's because choosing the wrong visual aid or simply defaulting to the most common type of data visualization could cause confusion with the viewer or lead to mistaken data interpretation.

To create charts that clarify and provide the right canvas for analysis, you should first understand the reasons why you might need a chart. In this post, I'll cover five questions to ask yourself when choosing a chart for your data.

Then, I'll give an overview of 14 different types of charts you have at your disposal.

5 Questions to Ask When Deciding Which Type of Chart to Use

1.您要比较值吗？

Charts are perfect for comparing one or many value sets, and they can easily show the low and high values in the data sets. To create a comparison chart, use these types of graphs:

• 柱子
• Mekko
• 酒吧
• Pie
• Line
• Scatter Plot
• Bullet

2. Do you want to show the composition of something?

Use this type of chart to show how individual parts make up the whole of something, such as the device type used for mobile visitors to your website or total sales broken down by sales rep.

To show composition, use these charts:

• Pie
• Stacked Bar
• Mekko
• Stacked Column
• Area
• Waterfall

3. Do you want to understand the distribution of your data?

Distribution charts help you to understand outliers, the normal tendency, and the range of information in your values.

Use these charts to show distribution:

• Scatter Plot
• Mekko
• Line
• 柱子
• 酒吧

4.您对分析数据集的趋势感兴趣吗？

If you want to know more information about how a data set performed during a specific time period, there are specific chart types that do extremely well.

您应该选择一个：

• Line
• Dual-Axis Line
• 柱子

5. Do you want to better understand the relationship between value sets?

Relationship charts are suited to showing how one variable relates to one or numerous different variables. You could use this to show how something positively effects, has no effect, or negatively effects another variable.

在尝试建立事物之间的关系时，请使用以下图表：

• Scatter Plot
• 气泡
• Line

Featured Resource:The Marketer's Guide to Data Visualization

下载此免费数据可视化指南了解在营销，演示或项目中使用哪些图表 - 以及如何有效使用它们。

14种不同类型的图形和图表用于呈现数据

为了更好地理解每个图表以及如何使用它们，以下是每种图表的概述。

1.列图

A column chart is used to show a comparison among different items, or it can show a comparison of items over time. You could use this format to see the revenue per landing page or customers by close date.

Design Best Practices for Column Charts:

• Use consistent colors在整个图表中，选择重音颜色以突出有意义的数据点或随着时间的推移而变化。
• Use horizontal labels提高可读性。
• Start the y-axis at 0to appropriately reflect the values in your graph.

2.条形图

条形图（基本上是水平列图表）应在一个数据标签长或有10个以上可以比较时避免混乱。这种类型的可视化也可用于显示负数。

Design Best Practices for Bar Graphs:

• Use consistent colors在整个图表中，选择重音颜色以突出有意义的数据点或随着时间的推移而变化。
• Use horizontal labels提高可读性。
• Start the y-axis at 0to appropriately reflect the values in your graph.

3.线图

线图揭示了趋势或随着时间的推移进展，可用于显示许多不同类别的数据。图表连续数据集时，应该使用它。

Design Best Practices for Line Graphs:

• Use solid lines only.
• Don't plot more than four linesto avoid visual distractions.
• 使用正确的高度so the lines take up roughly 2/3 of the y-axis' height.

4.双重轴图

双轴图允许您使用两个Y轴和一个共享X轴绘制数据。它与三个数据集一起使用，其中一个基于连续的数据集，另一个基于另一个数据集，它更适合按类别进行分组。这应该用于可视化相关性或在这三个数据集之间缺乏相关性。

Design Best Practices for Dual Axis Charts:

• Use the y-axis on the left side for the primary variablebecause brains are naturally inclined to look left first.
• Use different graphing stylesto illustrate the two data sets, as illustrated above.
• 选择对比鲜明的颜色对于两个数据集。

5. Area Chart

An area chart is basically a line chart, but the space between the x-axis and the line is filled with a color or pattern. It is useful for showing part-to-whole relations, such as showing individual sales reps' contribution to total sales for a year. It helps you analyze both overall and individual trend information.

Design Best Practices for Area Charts:

• Use transparent colors因此，在后台不会遮盖信息。
• Don't display more than four categoriesto avoid clutter.
• Organize highly variable data at the top of the chart tomake it easy to read.

6. Stacked Bar Chart

This should be used to compare many different items and show the composition of each item being compared.

Design Best Practices for Stacked Bar Graphs:

• Best used to illustratepart-to-whole relationships.
• Use对比颜色for greater clarity.
• Make chart scale large enough查看彼此相关的小组大小。

7. Mekko Chart

Also known as a marimekko chart, this type of graph can compare values, measure each one's composition, and show how your data is distributed across each one.

It's similar to a stacked bar, except the mekko's x-axis is used to capture another dimension of your values --而不是时间进度，就像列图一样经常这样做。In the graphic below, the x-axis compares each city to one another.

Image viaMekko Graphics

Design Best Practices for Mekko Charts:

• 变化你的酒吧高度如果部分大小是比较的重要点。
• Don't include too many composite valueswithin each bar. you might want to reevaluate how to present your data if you have a lot.
• Order your barsfrom left to right in such a way that exposes a relevant trend or message.

8. Pie Chart

A pie chart shows a static number and how categories represent part of a whole -- the composition of something. A pie chart represents numbers in percentages, and the total sum of all segments needs to equal 100%.

Design Best Practices for Pie Charts:

• Don't illustrate too many categories确保切片之间的区别。
• 确保切片值总计100％。
• Order slices根据他们的大小。

9.散点图图

A scatter plot or scattergram chart will show the relationship between two different variables or it can reveal the distribution trends. It should be used when there are many different data points, and you want to highlight similarities in the data set. This is useful when looking for outliers or for understanding the distribution of your data.

Design Best Practices for Scatter Plots:

• Include more variables，例如不同的大小，以合并更多数据。
• 从0开始Y轴准确表示数据。
• If you usetrend lines, only use a maximum of two to make your plot easy to understand.

10. Bubble Chart

A bubble chart is similar to a scatter plot in that it can show distribution or relationship. There is a third data set, which is indicated by the size of the bubble or circle.

设计泡沫图表的最佳实践：

• 根据面积的鳞片气泡, not diameter.
• 确保labels are clear and visible.
• 使用圆形的形状only.

11.瀑布图

一个waterfall chart should be used to show how an initial value is affected by intermediate values -- either positive or negative -- and resulted in a final value. This should be used to reveal the composition of a number. An example of this would be to showcase how overall company revenue is influenced by different departments and leads to a specific profit number.

Chart viaBaans Consulting

Design Best Practices for瀑布图s:

• Use contrasting colorsto highlight differences in data sets.
• Choose warm colors to indicate increases and cool colors to indicate decreases.

12.漏斗图

A funnel chart shows a series of steps and the completion rate for each step. This can be used to track the sales process or the conversion rate across a series of pages or steps.

Design Best Practices for Funnel Charts:

• Scale the size of each section准确反映数据集的大小。
• Use对比颜色或者one colorin gradating hues, from darkest to lightest as the size of the funnel decreases.

13. Bullet Graph

A bullet graph reveals progress toward a goal, compares this to another measure, and provides context in the form of a rating or performance.

Design Best Practices for Bullet Graphs:

• Use contrasting colorsto highlight how the data is progressing.
• Use one color以不同的阴影来衡量进步。

14. Heat Map

A heat map shows the relationship between two items and provides rating information, such as high to low or poor to excellent. The rating information is displayed using varying colors or saturation.

设计热图的最佳实践：

• Use abasic and clear map outlineto avoid distracting from the data.
• Use a single color以不同的阴影显示数据的变化。
• Avoid using multiple patterns.