-
"...multivariate comparisons
provide for more meaningful analysis than do single variable
distributions ..
-
".. pie charts should be rarely
used, if at all"
-
"3D pie charts are even worse"
-
"Forcing the reader to draw
comparisons across two pie charts is also a bad idea"
-
"All the information in ..pie
charts ... can be conveyed more precisely ... in a simple bar
chart."
Excel provides both pie and doughnut charts. Data
visualization problems associated with pie charts also apply to doughnut
charts.
Excel users have alternatives to pie/ doughnut charts.
Dot plots can be much more
effective. Panel dot plots like the chart on the right can be used to
show changes over time with small multiple -
trellis like displays using Excel charting, data transformations and
dummy axis techniques explained in this site. The panel dot plot chart (above - right) shows the
distribution of proved world oil reserves by region for 1984, 1994
and 2004 from data in the
BP Statistical Review of World Energy - 2005. The
initial version of this
chart was prepared using 3 doughnut charts, one for each year. (click
thumbnail to see BP's original chart).
This workbook download shows you how to
make panel dot plot charts in Excel.
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