4 Ways to Use Bar Charts for Comparisons

The bar chart is one of the most popular charts used by most people during data visualization. It plays a fundamental role in helping you dig into your data and extract all the freedom information that you need to know.

33 Under the bar chart category, there are different types of charts used during data visualization. These charts mainly vary from one another depending on how they are used and their designs.

One of the major responsibilities given to bar charts is comparing different data values to note what makes them different. It offers effective data visualization methods since it is easier to interpret and displays data in a manner that is easier to grasp.

When looking for suitable tools for data visualization activities, always make a bar chart to be your immediate priority since it has everything you need to extract value from your data.

Also, it is important to ensure that you understand how to make bar graphs with Excel to make data visualization more accessible and more effective. However, before you learn how to use a bar chart in visualizing data, you need to start by knowing what it is and how effective it can be in analyzing technical data sets. Read on!

What is a Bar Chart?

A bar chart is used to plot numerical values for different levels of categorical data. The levels are outlined on one axis of the chart, while the values are plotted on the other axis to create some form of uniformity.

Every category called value outline on the chart claims a bar on the chart, which develops a trend across the data sets that data analysts can visualize to read the hidden data insights. The length of every bar outlined on the chart reciprocates the value displayed on the axis.

The bars are outlined on a common baseline, making it easier to compare data. When data is displayed in this manner, it becomes easier for data analysts and business owners to uncover the hidden patterns and trends in the data. The chart eliminates data complexity and presents information in a manner that anybody can grasp and use in decision-making.

Note that this chart type can be used by anybody, provided that you have accurate data values and clear goals that you want to achieve. Understanding how to present your data on a bar chart increases your chances of extracting hidden insights from any given data set. The chat has all it takes to break down the technical background of the data and provide actionable data insights that business owners and data analysts require.

When to Use a Bar Chart

A bar chart can be used to display the distribution of data points across a given dataset. It can also compare numerical data values in a given data group or subgroups of data.

The chat enables you to see some of the data groups that are higher than the others or some of the data points that are common across the set. The bar chart compares how different data groups are closely similar to others depending on the presented data sets.

Anytime you want to use a bar chart during data visualization, always ensure that you are dealing with categorical data to make it easier for you to extract the information you require.

It works better when visualizing numerical data sets since it offers advanced features that enable you to dig deeper into data before making conclusions. When using a bar chart for data visualization, ensure that the values used are generated from a reliable source to improve your chances of generating incredible outcomes.

The data values used are meant to determine the length of every bar across the chart. The values can be things such as frequency, count, proportion, or how much data is divided into a given value.

The accuracy of the data you use to create the chart will determine the accuracy and efficiency of the final output. Ensure that you use all means to verify the accuracy of your data to make your work easier.

Best Ways to Use a Bar Chart for Comparison

When you want to use a bar chart for comparison purposes, there are various basic aspects that you need to consider to make the work easier. The basic guidelines are meant to make data comparison an exciting process that only takes a few minutes of your time. Most people who neglect these guidelines find it challenging to compare data and make incredible conclusions they are looking for.

1. Maintain Rectangular Forms for all Your Bars

When using a bar chart for comparison purposes, it is important to maintain rectangular bars across the chart. Some tools are likely to give different suggestions about the shape of the bars on the chart.

This is likely to make it difficult for you to visualize the data and make accurate decisions properly. For instance, when you consider using round shapes to represent the data values, it will be difficult to read the actual value on the access.

Slight rounding of the corners of the bars can be acceptable but not necessary. Always ensure that every bar is flat enough to make it easier to detect the actual data value on the axis.

Ensure that you do not use any 3D effects on the chart at any point to make data visualization easier. The 3D effects tend to take most of the reader's attention. The effects tend to ruin the accuracy of the bars, especially when taking measurements.

1. Use Colors Wisely

Even though colors play a significant role in attracting the reader's attention, they should be used wisely to avoid draining the reader's attention. They can easily distract the reader from reading the important data points on the chat while focusing on them. When colors are used unnecessarily, they can add additional meaning to data points where there is none. They are likely to drive you to wrong conclusions if you don't take note of how to apply them.

Every color presented in the church should be used to represent a specific component that is important in driving the right message home. You can use colors to highlight specific data points during data storytelling. The colors applied on the chart should reciprocate the type of data presented and the conclusions that need to be made.

1. Use a Zero Valued Common Baseline

Ensure all the bars plotted on the chart are drawn against the zero value baseline. The common zero-valued bassline makes it extremely simple for readers to compare the length of the bars and maintain a certain level of truthfulness in the data presented on the chart. A bar chart that lacks the zero baseline point can easily cause misrepresentation of the data, which results in wrong conclusions.

One of the most common mistakes with charts that have gaps in the axis is that the ratio of the bars to the axis does not reciprocate. The accuracy of the final data output is triggered by the nature of the data used and the zero baselines. The zero baselines also make data comparison simple since it offers a uniform point of visualization.

1. Monitor the Ordering of the Category Levels

Before creating a bar chart, you need to consider the order in which the bars will be aligned on the chart. A standard method that you can use to order the chat is to start from the longest to the shortest. Even though it is easier to read the data presented on the chart regardless of the order, ordering the values brings some form of uniformity. It also enhances the beauty of the chart, making it attractive to the readers.

When the bars on the chart are arranged in an orderly manner, they save a lot of time during data visualization. Most readers will not have time to juggle three data and tend to divert the focus on charts that are ordered accordingly. This makes it easier for you to address your target digital marketing.

Final Takes:

Bar charts offer you an incredible means of comparing data sets regardless of the volume of data you have. This is the simplest and most reliable data visualization method that every data analyst and business owner can consider to find meaning from their data.

Bar charts are effective in reading the hidden data patterns and extracting useful information that stakeholders can use when making key decisions.

You can easily compose the chart courtesy of Microsoft Excel, which offers all the essential features required. This is a better method that anybody can use to visualize data regardless of their technical backgrounds.