Examples and Tips

Back to Examples and Tips page	More Examples and Tips ... 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

 Example 4 - Pie graph crammed full:

Statement of expenditures in a city financial report sent to residents in a small town in Virginia.

	Notes: Agencies are those organizations outside of city government which receive City contributions; Transfers include Recreation Fund, Social Services Fund, Capital Project Fund, Community Services Act Fund;

The Plain Figures treatment:

Notes: Agencies are those organizations outside of city government which receive City contributions; Transfers include Recreation Fund, Social Services Fund, Capital Project Fund, Community Services Act Fund;

Pie charts cannot successfully represent more than 5 or 6 six categories. In addition the exploding 3-d original made a simple purpose unnecessarily complex.

The number values on the pie slices aren't helpful. Graphs are valuable for broad comparisons, not presenting numbers. If your readers need the number, then give them a good table, not a bad chart.

Organising the bars by size readers make comparisons much more than any number values. Listing the budget total provides a basis for interpreting the graph.

The note explains some categories. Originally these were buried in the text.

Back to Examples and Tips page	More Examples and Tips ... 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Plain Figures, PO Box 168, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 3DX.
t: +44 (0) 1924 219 097
f: +44 (0) 1924 219 097
m: 07903 370 013
e: enquiries@plainfigures.com

© Copyright 2007 - Plain Figures and its content providers. All rights reserved.