Stacked charts can be used for a variety of different purposes but are most commonly used to compare how much of given metric different entities have contributed. This can be done for multiple entities at the same time or for the same entity over time. This type of chart is often used to compare parts to a whole or to track changes over time. Let’s take a closer look at stacked charts.
What is a stacked chart?
A stacked chart is a chart that displays data as a stack of bars, where each bar represents a different category or series of data. The bars can be either vertical or horizontal, and data can be displayed in either ascending or descending order. Stacked charts are a great way to compare data across different categories or to see how a particular category has changed over time. They can be used to compare data between two or more groups or to compare data over time for a single group.
There are two main types of stacked charts: vertical and horizontal. Vertical stacked charts are most commonly used to compare data between two or more groups, while horizontally stacked charts are most commonly used to compare data over time for a single group.
In a vertically stacked chart, the bars are stacked on top of each other, with the tallest bar at the top and the shortest bar at the bottom. This type of chart is most commonly used to compare data between two or more groups. For example, you might use a vertical stacked chart to compare the sales figures for different products in different countries.
In a horizontal stacked chart, the bars are stacked on the left side of the chart, with the tallest bar on the left and the shortest bar on the right. This type of chart is most commonly used to compare data over time for a single group. For example, you might use a horizontal stacked chart to compare the sales figures for different products over the past five years.
What are the uses for a stacked chart?
There are many different ways to use a stacked chart for data visualization. They are great for illustrating how different parts of a whole contribute to a total. This is a common use case for stacked charts, as they can easily show how much of a whole is made up of different parts. For example, a company might use a stacked chart to show how its different divisions contributed to its overall revenue in a given year.
You can also use stacked charts for comparing different data sets. Stacked charts can be a great way to compare different data sets, as they allow you to see how much of each data set is made up of the others. For example, you might use a stacked chart to compare the percentage of men and women in different age groups who are unemployed. Finally, stacked charts are good for showing changes over time. They can be a great way to show how different data sets have changed over time. For example, you might use a stacked chart to compare the percentage of men and women in different age groups who are employed.
What are the limitations of stacked charts?
The first is that it can be difficult to compare values between different stacks, as they are all competing for the same vertical space. Another issue is that it can be difficult to read values accurately, as the stacks can be quite tall. This can be particularly problematic if the data is displayed on a small chart, as it can be difficult to see the values at the bottom of the stack.
A stacked chart is important because it allows you to compare and contrast data sets. You can see how much each data set contributes to the whole, and you can also see how the data sets compare to each other. They are a versatile data analysis tool that allows you to see a bigger picture of trends and patterns over time.