VISLIZ / Guides · Updated 2026-10-16

How to choose a chart for your data

Match the chart to the comparison: time, categories, two-point change, shares or a relationship.

1. Time or categories?

Use a line for an ordered time series. Use bars for magnitudes across discrete categories. A line across unrelated departments suggests continuity that the data does not have.

2. Change or composition?

A slope chart compares the same entities at two moments. A donut shows a few mutually exclusive parts of a whole. Use consistent populations for before-and-after comparisons and consistent denominators for shares.

3. Relationship or explanation?

A scatter plot compares paired numeric observations and reveals spread or outliers. An apparent relationship may reflect other factors. Add source notes and avoid causal language without an appropriate study design.

4. Start small, then inspect

Use one of the templates below, replace its sample data and read every label. Check missing values, units, baselines and whether the chart still communicates on a phone. If the reader needs exact numbers, include a data table or download.

Use this template ↗Download CSVInteractive SVG

Common problem: Can I compare percentages directly?

Only when the denominators and populations are comparable. A change from 2.4% to 3.6% is 1.2 percentage points, not 1.2 percent relative growth. State which measure is displayed.