Chart graphing issue.

**sungen99** · 08-10-2016, 03:17 PM

I am trying to represent the differences in three sets of data. Estimate, This Report, and Last year. The problem I am having is that while this example IS doing exactly what I am asking the difference between the three “swishes” is not dramatic enough to be of any help.

As you can see the way the chart works is 100% is 75% of the circle and what I am doing is using whatever of the three sets of data has the largest number to establish that 100% (75) of the graph.

What I would LIKE to do is represent the other two sets of data to be a % of the difference from the largest to the smallest??? I don’t know. I don’t want the smallest to be 0 otherwise you would not see it so perhaps the largest is 100%, the smallest is 20% and the middle is some equitation in between?

Thoughts? And help with the math would be much appreciated.

**MrShorty** · 08-10-2016, 03:48 PM

1st problem I see with it is the "circular" shape. I don't think our eyes do a good job really seeing the length of an arc like that, so some of the visualization is obscured by the circle. I know the circular bar looks fancier than a regular bar or column chart, but I think a straight bar or column chart will do a better job.

One strategy I sometimes use is to plot something along the lines of a "deviation" chart -- where one value is chosen as the "reference" value (probably the estimate) and the other values are described by how they differ from the reference.

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Use row 3 in a bar/column chart to show how the two reports compare in terms of actual numbers. Use row 4 if you would prefer to have the chart show relative (per cent type) numbers.