New and Improved Stacked Bar Chart

Here’s a simple solution to a problem with stacked bar charts. Yes, they allow you to compare the size of different groups as well as the subgroups within each group. But comparing the subgroups is tough because — for all but one of the subgroups — you have to compare the length of the bar segments without a common baseline.

The bar chart below, created with Tableau, solves that problem by adding a filter so that you can see the whole bars by selecting “All” but also see only one or more subgroups so you can easily make comparisons across just those subgroups. In this chart, I’ve also set the sort order so that it’s always in descending order regardless of the filter selections. See info below on how I set the sort order in Tableau.

See how this chart works by interacting with it yourself! Change the selections on the checkboxes.

To sort questions in descending order regardless of the response option chosen, click the dropdown arrow on Question in the rows shelf and select Sort . . .

. . . .Then choose to sort by Field in descending sort order and choose the name of the field that indicates number of respondents.

To see past data tips, click HERE.


Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.


And Here's A Bonus: A Bar Chart Catalogue

I thought I had wrapped up my miniseries on bar charts when I came across this excellent bar chart catalogue by Rosa Mariana de Leon-E. It includes 27 variations on the bar chart with links to instructions for creating them with Tableau. Enjoy!


Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.


Bar Chart Hack #1: The Divergent Stacked Bar Chart

60-SECOND DATA TIP.png

Reposted from January 2019

Last week I promised to arm you with useful bar chart hacks. The idea is to take something that works well and that folks understand but move it in a more creative and interesting direction.

So this week I give to you: The Divergent Stacked Bar Chart.

Okay, so you know what a bar chart is. And you probably know what a stacked bar chart is, even if you don’t call it that. It uses color to show the subgroups that comprise each bar (or larger group) in the chart like this:

bar.png

Regular Stacked Bar Chart

Now the cool, or divergent, part. It’s easier to show you than to describe it. So take a look:

returnstohomelessness.jpg

Divergent Stacked Bar Chart

As you can see, the the divergent chart aligns each bar around a common midpoint. So it’s much easier to compare, for example, positive and negative values across categories.

Stephanie Evergreen provides directions on making a divergent stacked bar chart in Excel. And here are instructions on creating such a chart in Tableau. Other data viz softwares can make this chart too.

For a much deeper dive into the data viz world’s debate over when and if to use divergent stacked bar charts, check out this article by Daniel Zvinca.

To see past data tips, click HERE.


Let’s talk about YOUR data!

Got the feeling that you and your colleagues would use your data more effectively if you could see it better? Data Viz for Nonprofits (DVN) can help you get the ball rolling with an interactive data dashboard and beautiful charts, maps, and graphs for your next presentation, report, proposal, or webpage. Through a short-term consultation, we can help you to clarify the questions you want to answer and goals you want to track. DVN then visualizes your data to address those questions and track those goals.



Bar Chart Hack #1: The Divergent Stacked Bar Chart

60-SECOND DATA TIP.png

Last week I promised to arm you with useful bar chart hacks. The idea is to take something that works well and that folks understand but move it in a more creative and interesting direction.

So this week I give to you: The Divergent Stacked Bar Chart.

Okay, so you know what a bar chart is. And you probably know what a stacked bar chart is, even if you don’t call it that. It uses color to show the subgroups that comprise each bar (or larger group) in the chart like this:

bar.png

Regular Stacked Bar Chart

Now the cool, or divergent, part. It’s easier to show you than to describe it. So take a look:

returnstohomelessness.jpg

Divergent Stacked Bar Chart

As you can see, the the divergent chart aligns each bar around a common midpoint. So it’s much easier to compare, for example, positive and negative values across categories.

Stephanie Evergreen provides directions on making a divergent stacked bar chart in Excel. And here are instructions on creating such a chart in Tableau. Other data viz softwares can make this chart too.

For a much deeper dive into the data viz world’s debate over when and if to use divergent stacked bar charts, check out this article by Daniel Zvinca.

See other data tips in this series for more information on how to effectively visualize and make good use of your organization's data.