Visualization
Bar chart
Compare amounts across named categories.
Dot plot
Show small differences between categories without heavy bars.
Dumbbell chart
Compare before and after across several categories.
Bullet chart
Check several measures against their own targets.
Line chart
Follow a trend over time.
Area chart
Show how the level of a quantity rises and falls.
Slope chart
See which categories rose, fell, or crossed between endpoints.
Small multiples
Compare several trends without overlapping lines.
Histogram
See where values cluster and how far they spread.
Density plot
Compare broad distribution shapes.
Box plot
Compare typical values and spread across groups.
Violin plot
Inspect groups whose distributions may have several peaks.
Interval plot
Compare estimates while keeping their uncertainty visible.
Scatterplot
Look for association, clusters, and unusual observations.
Bubble chart
Add the scale of each observation to a relationship.
Heatmap
Find recurring high and low regions in a dense grid.
Stacked bar
Compare totals and the composition of each total.
Donut chart
Show a few clearly different shares of a known total.
Treemap
See large and small contributors within grouped totals.
Choropleth map
Find regional patterns in a normalized measure.
Proportional-symbol map
Compare counts while retaining geographic context.
Sankey diagram
Follow how a total splits into destinations.
Flowchart
Explain what happens next under different conditions.
Waterfall chart
Explain how a starting amount becomes an ending amount.
Node-link network
Explore who or what is connected.
Tree diagram
Read the levels and membership of a hierarchy.
Timeline
Understand the sequence and spacing of milestones.
Gantt chart
See when work starts, ends, and overlaps.
28 patterns