Ranking

If you want to rank items from highest to lowest, or vice versa, we recommend using the comparison (bar) micro chart. For time-based categories, the column micro chart is more appropriate.

Comparison

To compare items that don’t have a particular order, you can use the comparison micro chart (offering category and value labels for each part) or the column micro chart.

Sometimes it can also be useful to show when a certain value reaches or exceeds a reference point (for example, when an actual value is compared to a target or forecast). In such cases, use a bullet micro chart. Keep in mind that the bullet micro chart shows data points for given points in time. Do not use it to show a time series.

To compare value totals within and across different categories, you can use the stacked bar micro chart.

Variation over Time

By convention, time is represented horizontally from left to right which means it’s best to use the horizontal axis to represent the time in chart visualizations.

To show changes in measures over time, you can use the line micro chart, the column micro chart, and the area micro chart. The exact chart type depends on the type of change you want to visualize.

If you want to emphasize the trend over time, use the area micro chart (which provides information for actual and target values, visualized and compared to threshold areas) or the line micro chart. If you want to emphasize the values themselves, use the column micro chart.

Part to Whole

You can use several chart types that depict the contribution of individual values to a whole.

The typical chart for visualizing part of a whole is the Harvey ball micro chart. This is most suitable if you want to display a single value compared to its total. To show a single percentage value, use the radial micro chart.

The stacked bar micro chart works best for visualizing different values as part of one whole; its bars are shown next to each other. The comparison micro chart is better if you want to compare parts to each other and display category labels and value labels associated with each part.

Deviation

These chart types visualize the difference or variance between two values (or two sets of values).

To show a time-related deviation between sets of values, use the area micro chart (for example, to show the difference between actual expenses and target expenses), or the line micro chart.

If you want to emphasize the deviating values, use the column micro chart (suitable for showing variances), or the comparison micro chart (offering category and value labels).

The bullet micro chart shows the difference between two values (actual and target) or three values (actual, target, and forecast) at a given point in time.

The delta micro chart helps to visualize a delta value (difference) between two main key figures, which can be time-related or category-based.

Distribution

To visualize how values are distributed within a set, we recommend using the column micro chart or the comparison micro chart (offering category and value labels). The stacked bar micro chart shows the distribution of values as part of a whole.

If you want to emphasize the shape of the distribution over time, use the line micro chart.