Pie Charts


Pie Charts

Figure 8.3 shows a typical pie chart (also called a circle chart). This kind of chart is useful for showing a total amount divided into subordinate parts ; in this case, the chart shows how a company's sales are divided geographically . At a glance, it's easy to see the relative share of the whole that each part, or each wedge of pie, represents.

Unfortunately, the chart is needlessly cluttered and confusing to read. Stacking the name of the sales region, the sales figure, and the percentage (e.g., "Europe," "$11 Million," and "22%") forces the viewer to pause and sort out what each element means.

Now look at the version in Figure 8.4.

Figure 8.4. Simplified pie chart.

graphics/08fig04.gif

The geographic labels remain outside the pie, but the percentages are now inside the wedges. This arrangement is clearer because text usually takes up more space than numbers . If any wedge is too small to contain its number, use a callout; that is, place the number just outside the wedge with a fine line to indicate where it belongs.

Notice how separating the label from the number makes both much easier to read. Notice, too, that we have omitted the dollar figures shown in the first version of the graph. In a pie chart, the relative size of each wedge is the most important information.

Finally, note that we've shifted the date to the bottom of the pie. That's where the timeline appears in most business charts.

In a pie chart, the relative size of each wedge is the most important information.

Follow these general guidelines when you create a pie chart and it will be easy for your audience to read and understand.



Presenting to Win. The Art of Telling Your Story
Presenting to Win: The Art of Telling Your Story, Updated and Expanded Edition
ISBN: 0137144172
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 94

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