Present Beyond Measure

25Next-Level Charts to (Carefully) Consider

“The effectiveness of data visualization can be gauged by its simplicity, relevancy, and its ability to hold the user's hand during their data discovery journey.”

—Jagat Saikia

As I mentioned at the beginning of this act, a snazzy new chart type can feel like a shiny holiday present to a data practitioner. The new shapes, the colors, the lines, yeehaw! And as you're learning, the downsides are that many charts don't communicate data well and most executive decision-makers don't understand unfamiliar charts.

The upside is that there are several unconventional chart types that are well-suited to facilitate accurate comprehension…once your stakeholders become familiarized with them. I highly advise against walking into a meeting and displaying these charts cold without preparing to do a step-by-step walkthrough (preferably using the Object or Shape Pacing methods).

The following sections introduce my favorite off-the-beaten-path chart types that you won't find in most data visualization tools.

The Target Variance Bar Chart

I have a groovy kind of love for this visualization. There may be scenarios where you have categorical or time-based results with individual performance benchmarks, such as salesperson-level sales quotas or profitability by quarter. Consider the example in Figure 25.1 before I break down the mechanics.

FIGURE ...