Visualization 101: Types of Charts

Here I will discuss the various types of charts and how they are best implemented to effectively visualize your datasets.

I will begin with the bar chart because that is one of the most perceptible and easily interpreted charts. Don't be deceived, I have seen instances where bar charts are seriously misused, abused, or even used to misrepresent data. Some will say that is a way of deceptively representing data. In this digest, we will cover it all.

Bar Chart

A bar chart presents data using rectangular bars that are proportional in height to the values they represent. It is used for data in categories.

Did you Know?

The bar chart was invented by William Playfair in 1786.

Line Chart

A line chart shows data as a series of connected points; it is used to display changes over time.

Did you know: In 1765, John Priestley created the first timeline charts that inspired William Playfair's take in 1786.

Choropleth Map

A choropleth map is a map where colored or shaded areas represent the magnitude of an attribution.

This provides a way to visualize values over a geographical area, which can show variations or patterns across the displayed location.

Dot Plot

A dot plot is used to represent any data in the form of dots or small filled circles. Traditional dot plots show the distribution of data by encoding numerical data in circles shown on a number line. If it looks like a histogram or bar chart, it's because it does.

Other forms of dot plots include the Cleveland plot, Connected Dot plot and the Dot Map.