Chart Maker editorial
Chart making tutorials and best practices
Useful guidance grounded in real chart-making decisions, with clear examples you can use right away.
Complete chart guide
Types of charts and when to use them
Learn what each common chart type is designed to show, what data it needs, and which mistakes can make it misleading or difficult to read.
Read and usePractical tutorial
How to make a chart from data
A good chart begins before the design controls. Define the question, prepare a clean table, choose the visual encoding, and review the result from the reader’s perspective.
Read and useDesign guidance
Accessible chart colors
Color should organize and emphasize data, not become the only way a reader can understand it. A small, deliberate palette is usually stronger than a colorful one.
Read and useData visualization review
7 misleading chart mistakes
A chart can contain correct numbers and still create the wrong impression. These checks catch the most common distortions before publication.
Read and useChart selection guide
How to choose the right chart
Start with the question the reader must answer. The visual form should make that comparison effortless rather than merely make the report look decorated.
Read and useChart comparison
Bar chart vs. line chart
Use bars to compare distinct categories and lines to show movement through an ordered sequence. The data structure, not visual preference, should decide.
Read and useChart comparison
Pie chart vs. bar chart
Choose a pie chart when a few categories form one meaningful whole. Choose bars when ranking, precision, or a larger number of categories matters.
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