Graph Selection Matrix

Value-Encoding Objects
Points Lines Bars Boxes

Bar Graph (vertical)

Box Plot
(vertical)
Line Graph
Scatter Plot

Featured Dot Plot Strip Plot Line Graph with Points

Bar Graph
(horizontal)
Box Plot
(horizontal)

Relationships
Time Series Yes (as a dot plot, when Yes (to feature overall Yes (vertical bars only, Yes (vertical boxes
you don’t have a value trends and patterns and to feature individual only, to display how a
Values display how some-
for every interval of time) to support their values and to support distribution changes
thing changed through
comparisons) their comparisons) through time)
time (yearly, monthly, etc.)
Ranking Yes (as a dot plot, No Yes Yes (to display a
especially when the ranked set of
Values are ordered by size
quantitative scale does distributions)
(descending or ascending)
not begin at zero)
Part-to-Whole No Yes (to display how Yes No
parts of a whole have
Values represent parts
changed through time)
(proportions) of a whole
(for example, regional
portions of total sales)
Deviation Yes (as a dot plot, Yes (when also Yes No
especially when the featuring a time series)
The difference between
quantitative scale does
two sets of values (for
not begin at zero)
example, the variance
between actual and
budgeted expenses)
Distribution Yes (as a strip plot, to Yes (as a frequency Yes Yes (when comparing
feature individual values) polygon, to feature the multiple distributions)
Counts of values per
overall shape of the
interval from lowest to
distribution)
highest (for example,
counts of people by age
intervals of 10 years each)
Correlation Yes (as a scatter plot) No Yes (as a table lens, No
especially when your
Comparison of two paired
audience is not familiar
sets of values (for
with scatter plots)
example, the heights and
weights of several people)
to determine if there is a
relationship between them
Geospatial Yes (as bubbles of Yes (to display routes No No
various sizes on a map) on a map)
Values are displayed on a
map to show their location
Nominal Comparison Yes (as a dot plot, No Yes No
especially when the
A simple comparison of
quantitative scale does
values for a set of
not begin at zero)
unordered items (for
example, products, or
regions)

www.PerceptualEdge.com Derived from the book © Stephen Few 2004-2014

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