Comparing Visualization Types for Your Data with Proportions

• This is also known as Coxcomb Chart or Polar Area Diagram
• Use: It is used to plot cyclic phenomenon with segments
• It is a combination of stacked column chart and radar chart
• The chart is similar to the pie chart, but the angles are equal and the amount in which radial regions extends from the center of the circle
• The radius of each sector is proportional to the square root of the value of the variable, so the area of each sector represents the value of the variable
• It was famously used by Florence Nightingale to represent preventable deaths, death from wounds, and death by all other causes of soldiers during the war
• The outer regions have larger area size, so they get more emphasis by the viewer. This is a con of this visualization
• Purpose
  • Analyzing cyclic phenomenon and contribution of different factors using segments
  • Identifying the relative effects across different periods visually
  • Identifying patterns if any in the cyclin phenomenon

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• Use: Gives a quick overview of proportions of categories in a dataset
• Dots are used in the matrix using different colors for each category
• The number of dots is proportional to the size or value of the category
• Another version of the dot matrix is where icons are used instead of dots in the matrix and they are grouped by similar color
• If a single variable is in the dataset, then dot matrix chart can be used to display proportions across different datasets
• Purpose
  • Compare distribution proportion across different datasets
  • A very simple view of proportions to discover patterns

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• It is also known as a circular tree map
• Use: Visualize hierarchic organization
• It is a variation of tree map and each node is represented by a circle and sub-nodes are represented as circles inside it
• The size of each circle is proportional to the value
• Colors are used to represent categories or groupings across or inside the hierarchy
• It is difficult for the viewer to compare exact size when it comes to circles, but it gives a very good, easy way to consume and neat representation of hierarchy and groupings
• Purpose
  • To compare the values of a group precisely
  • To represent organizations of groups into subgroups

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• Use: Display proportions for quick view without using scales
• Shapes such as circles, rectangles are given area proportional to the value being represented
• It is difficult to gauge exact value because of lack of scale
• Purpose: To get a quick idea of the proportional distribution

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• Use: Display segments of a dataset in a bar chart and contribution of each segment to the total
• The bars in the chart represent as the whole and the segments of bars represent different parts or categories of the whole
• These graphs should be used when the sum of the values is as important as the individual contributors
• The bars of the graph can be horizontal or vertical
• Stacked bar graphs can have one category axis which describes the categories and up to two numerical axes which can be two scales for the data
• If the number of segments are very high, these charts become harder to read
• Purpose
  • Finding relationship of each part to different categories
  • Displaying distribution of variables in different categories
  • Comparing part by part role of one variable across different categories

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