Data visualization is a crucial part of information representation. Words cannot express trends of unprocessed data as fast as visualized data. With charts and graphs, data researchers can effectively illustrate their points in less time.
Today, anyone can build graphs and charts using a graph maker app like Venngage. Unfortunately, this led to many poorly made graphs, which defeats the purpose of presenting data visually and quickly. In this short post, you’ll learn about each chart maker’s capabilities and the perfect situation to use each of them.
Bar Graph Maker
A bar graph is as straightforward as data visualization can get. Plus, they are easy to understand too! Bars represent each category the research compares, and their varying height illustrates each category’s value.
Universally, bar charts are the go-to choice when presenting comparisons. Inventories, accrued marketing data, ratings, survey responses, and product prices receive proper representation with bar graphs.
Line Graph Maker
Line graphs are often synonymous with economics and the stock market. These charts always have a line running across an XY coordinate table. The line represents data changes over time, with the X-axis representing the value changes and the Y-axis representing time. This chart makes it easy to identify trends and data-backed speculations.
Most line charts can work well with one or two lines, making them perfect for illustrating business profits and expenses. For example, stock markets use a modified line chart that includes candlesticks, representing the ceiling and floor prices a stock had during a particular timeline.
What’s the Difference Between Lines and a Supply and Demand Graph Maker?
Supply and demand charts are line graphs with two lines. However, specialized supply and demand graph makers give you a ready-made interface, saving you time starting from scratch.
XY Graph Maker
If you look closely, an XY chart exists in every graph. The Cartesian Coordinate System has always been integral to most modern charts. Without the XY chart, it’s impossible to have line, bar, and plot charts.
Complex XY charts are often present in trigonometry, requiring both positive and negative number values to evaluate shape viabilities. Plus, advanced statistics that tackle hundreds and thousands of data use complex XY charts, too.
Pie Graph Maker
If you’ve ever used a budgeting app, you’ve most likely seen a pie chart. Pies are perfect for illustrating parts that make up a whole, making it easy to compare data for allocation, reduction, or evaluation.
Pie graphs and pictographs are frequently part of many infographics because they make data easy for everyone to digest. However, pies aren’t the best charts to illustrate changes over time (line charts do it best).
When Not to Use a Circle Graph Maker
As a main rule of thumb, you can use circle charts if you’re in the following situations:
- You have seven or fewer data categories
- Do not have similar data values
- Don’t need entirely accurate representations crucial for engineering, economics, and profit measuring
- You don’t need to show patterns or changes over time.
Plot Graph Maker
Charts that use plot points instead of lines, bars, and pies are handy for situations involving more than a dozen categories with a dozen variables simultaneously. Multiple plot charts exist in the form of scattergrams and lattice charts.
Most plot charts look like line charts without the lines. Instead, the dots represent multiple values in various positions. Once you’ve found a trend, you can draw a line or use an isolated line chart to simplify your data visualization.
Pictograph Maker
These charts use pictures and icons to represent data on an XY graph. For example, most product surveys use human silhouettes to represent data. Alternatively, product reviews use whole and half stars. Most medical data use pictograms because of the chart’s emotionally captivating imagery.
Like pie charts, pictographs are commonly part of most infographics. However, if chart makers misuse them, their proportions and icon numbers can easily misrepresent data.
Protip: Use an Online Graph Maker
The best way to make your chart is to use an online graph maker. Advanced graph makers, such as Venngage, give you ready-made templates of various types of graphs suitable for your needs. Plus, you can collaborate with others and update your graphs anytime with team accounts that most platforms have.
Objectives and Data Will Always Show You The Best Graph To Use
Charts are like human language. There’s always a proper word and expression for any situation. By studying and examining how each chart illustrates data, you can visualize your information in a way that gets its point across quickly to your readers. Take your time in researching and making your graphs the best they can be.
