Choosing the wrong chart type is one of the most common presentation mistakes. Here is a practical guide to matching your data to the right visualisation.

Comparison: use bar charts

When comparing values across categories, horizontal or vertical bar charts are almost always the best choice. They are intuitive and work at any data density.

Trends over time: use line charts

For time series data, line charts show direction and rate of change better than any alternative. Keep it to 4 lines maximum.

Composition: use stacked bars or waterfall

To show parts of a whole, stacked bars work for few categories. For showing how values build up or break down, waterfall charts are ideal.

Please stop using pie charts

Pie charts are only effective when comparing 2-3 segments with very different sizes. For anything else, a bar chart is more accurate and easier to read.