Chapter 14: Showcasing Data with Charts, Graphs, and Diagrams

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Overview

A chart can give you an image and an understanding of your data in a way that words alone can't. With a single picture, you can show how sales in all four regions compare—you know at a glance who comes out the winner. You can capture and portray important buying trends among your customers; you can give upper management a picture of staff productivity; you can give an instant picture of the healthy progress your business is making in new venues. If your business is considering reorganization, a diagram can help the group understand the new chain of command and settle into their new roles more easily. In all cases, seeing a chart or diagram helps communicate relationships quickly—much faster than reading about upcoming changes and forming the new image in your mind.

Note 

What's the difference between a chart and a graph? Nothing, really. The terms are used interchangeably to describe the graphical depiction of data—early on, the term charting referred to a type of mapmaking. Graphing, on the other hand, involved plotting data points and discerning trends and relationships. Today, the terms mean essentially the same thing; for example, you use Microsoft Graph to create charts in your Word documents. Diagramming refers to the process of generating a flowchart or diagram using a specific model. The second half of this chapter deals with planning, creating, and enhancing diagrams in your documents.

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