Value Added | daily

Class Schedule

Basics | sessions 01-03
  1. 19 Jan intro and clients | lecture | labs
  2. 26 Jan servers and command line | lecture | labs
  3. 02 Feb networks and protocols | lecture | labs
Web Development | sessions 04-08

  1. 09 Feb structural layer | lecture | labs
  2. 16 Feb presentational layer | lecture | labs
  3. 23 Feb using a structure | lecture | labs
  4. 02 Mar behavioral layer | lecture | labs
  5. 09 Mar design thoughts | lecture | labs
Dealing with Markup | sessions 09-10
  1. 16 Mar control objects and display | lecture | labs
  2. 23 Mar tools that read markup | lecture | labs
Working with data | sessions 11-14
  1. 30 Mar formulas, functions, vectors | lecture | labs
  2. 06 Apr data display | lecture | labs
  3. 13 Apr manipulate data sets | lecture | labs
  4. 20 Apr relational data bases | lecture | labs
Presentations | sessions 15-16
  1. 27 Apr designing a presentation | lecture | labs
  2. 04 May delivering a presentation | lecture | labs


Spreadsheet data can be converted into many different ways of displaying data in charts.
But one needs to know what type of display is best suited for the underlying data.
So let's consider what type of chart might be most appropriate.

Types of charts

Charts are a useful way to illustrate data shown in worksheets. Excel has several different types of charts to select from depending on the sort of information you are using and the effect you wish to convey in the graphic.

back to top

Use a column chart or a bar chart to show comparisons

Column charts compare values across categories.

[column chart types]

The same is true in Excel for Mac

[column chart types]

bar charts are essentially the same thing, but oriented on the horizontal axis. Excel asserts they are the best chart type for comparing multiple values.

The same is true in Excel for Mac

[bar chart types]

Another way to consider charting parts to a whole

back to top

Use a line chart or an area chart to show trends or change over a period of time

Line charts compare continuous data over time against a common scale and are ideal for showing trends.

[line chart types]

The same is true in Excel for Mac

[line and pie chart types]

back to top

Area charts are a variant of line charts

Area charts emphasize differences between several sets of data over a period of time.

[area chart types]

back to top

back to top

Pie charts display percentages

But column charts do the same and in a more revealing fashion. Use a pie chart to show the relationship or proportion or parts to a whole, only when you want your chart to be metaphoric.

[pie chart types]

To quote Edward Tufte in The Visual Display of Quantitative Information , p. 178

... the only worse design than a pie chart is several of them ...
Given their low data-density and failure to order numbers along a visual dimension,
pie charts should never be used.

back to top

But you are not limited to the ribbon

You can make your own charts using the tools available. Jon Peltier offers a suggestion or you can follow Microsoft's advice.

back to top