Diagram – 8 Best Types for Visualization

Do you have a lot of data in a table and want to present it meaningfully in a diagram? Then this blog is just right for you.

What is a Diagram?

A diagram is a graphical representation of data, facts, or information. The data originally comes from a table (e.g., Excel), but in this form, it is not yet meaningful.

What are the Benefits of Creating Diagrams?

Reading many values in tables is tedious, and the relationships between the information are difficult to see. The eye perceives visual statements faster and more permanently than abstract rows of numbers. Thanks to data visualization using a diagram, relationships between different sizes or values can be clearly and understandably shown.

What Can You Do Better with Diagrams?

• Recognize trends in data

• Represent size comparisons

• Show a trend

• Interpret data

What Types of Diagrams Are There?

The most common diagrams are the so-called axis diagrams. These consist of two axes, similar to a coordinate system. The vertical axis is called the Y-axis, and the horizontal axis is called the X-axis. Depending on the objective and desired statement, different types of diagrams are suitable for visualization.

Types of Diagrams (Click to Enlarge Diagrams):

Line Chart

A line chart is a common type of diagram and is often used to visualize the rise or fall of values over several time periods (data trend). This type of diagram is well-suited if you want to compare changes in many values.
Example shown: Temperature changes by location over the course of a year. Another possible example: Inventory quantities by product category over time.

Area Chart

An area chart graphically represents the development of quantities. The form of representation is based on the line chart. This type of diagram is well-suited for showing how two to five different values change over time.
Example shown: Population distribution by continent over several years. Another possible example: Revenue and costs over several years.

Column Chart

A column chart is a graphical representation of data as vertical bars, which are arranged horizontally in the diagram. This type of diagram is well-suited for comparing data with a maximum of ten categories, where the category labels are short.

Example shown: Monthly average rainfall by city. Another possible example: Revenue by product category, provided there are only a few categories with relatively short labels.

Bar Chart

In a bar chart, grouped data is represented in rectangular bars. The bars are arranged horizontally. This type of diagram is well-suited for comparing data with ten or more categories or when the category labels are longer.
Example shown: Fruit consumption per person. Another possible example: Revenue by multiple sales representatives listed by full name.

Pie Chart

A pie chart (also known as a circle or pie diagram) is a circular representation of statistical data. The individual segments of the circle represent the proportion of parts to the whole, so all segments together must always total 100%. A pie chart can only visualize one data series.
Example shown: Market share by browser. Another possible example: Revenue by sales representative.

Bubble Chart

Bubble charts are very similar to scatter plots but have an additional attribute that determines the size of the bubble.
Example shown: Market share by browser. Another possible example: Representation of costs and profit, where the bubble size is determine

Scatter Plot

A scatter plot, also known as a scatter diagram, displays data as a collection of points. This type of diagram is well-suited for graphically representing values for two dimensions.
Example shown: Height versus weight. Another possible example: Revenue by region and product category.

Radar Chart

Netz- oder Spinnendiagramm

A radar chart, also known as a spider chart, is a graphical representation of values across multiple, equivalent categories in the form of a spider web.

Example shown: Budget versus expenses. Another possible example: Pros and cons of products regarding specified metrics.

How to Determine Which Type of Diagram is Suitable for Your Analysis

Diagrams are most effective when used correctly. Therefore, it is important to visualize your collected data in the appropriate diagram. The graphical representation should be meaningful and allow for minimal misinterpretation.

When selecting the appropriate diagram, you can start by asking yourself the following questions:

• Do I see a pattern, trend, or anomaly in my data?

• Do I want to represent a development over time?

• Do I want to show relationships?

• Do I want to depict a relationship or contrasts?

• What message do I want to convey to the target audience of the diagram?

When analyzing the data from a conducted study, the type of question is crucial in choosing the appropriate diagram:

• Example Question: What is your gender? This question is typically a “single choice” type, meaning there is only one possible answer. For this type of question, column charts or pie charts are suitable.

• Example Question: Which software providers do you know? Here we have a “multiple choice” type question, meaning 0 to several answers can be given. Such data can be visualized using column or bar charts.

• Example Question: How do you rate the different software providers? This question is referred to as a matrix question. In matrix questions, many questions with similar/same answer categories (e.g., very good to not good at all) are displayed in a table. Questions of this type can be very clearly represented using bar charts.

• You can find more examples of question types in our sample questionnaire under Survalyzer Questionnaire.

Still have doubts?

If you are still not sure which diagram fits best despite the examples provided, we recommend the following approach:

Create multiple diagrams and determine which one best supports your desired statement. A test person can also be useful in providing valuable feedback.

Do you have further questions about data visualization? Then contact us here, and we will show you our sample dashboards with appropriate diagrams.

Develop successful customer surveys and create meaningful diagrams with Survalyzer.

Create your own surveys for free now and design the corresponding diagrams!