When designing a website that includes statistics, for instance, it is important to understand the different types of graphs and charts available. This will make it more meaningful to investors, financial analysts, as well as anyone else who uses the data. A graph or chart will prove more useful and meaningful to display data than just keeping it as a table.
The London web agency is a company familiar with just what is required to make financial data stand out from a website or webpage.
So, let us consider the different types of graphs or charts possible to display data that is numerical.
Bar Chart
With bar charts, there are generally three types to choose from.
A grouped bar chart will be used when datasets have subgroups. Different colours will be differentiated by assigning them different colours. The choice of colours will be all-important to how it will look when on a website. It needs to stand out and attract attention as well as present the facts in a visualised and more understandable way.
With stacked bar charts, the rectangular bars will be stacked on top of one another.
Segmented bar charts are similar to stacked bar charts except that they show the percentage of the total value as well.
Line Graph
These are similar to the above, except that they are portrayed by lines rather than solid blocks.
Simple line graphs will use just one line to plot a graph. One axis represents independent values whist the other will show dependent variables.
Then, we can have multiple line graphs that will show two lines or more, as required. They are used where two variables will be studied over the same period. Perhaps how two different currencies have fared relative to another.
Compound line graphs are extensions of simple line graphs. They will deal with data from a larger dataset. Their lines will be shaded downward to their x-axis and each group of data will be stacked on top of one another.
Pie Chart
Pie charts are used a lot to display numerical data. This is because they are easily recognisable and are understood by all of us who recognise what a particular portion of pie, cake, or pizza is. Also, different colours can be used to make them appealing.
If it is about percentages, then pie charts are excellent for representing them.
As with bar charts, they come in different varieties according to your taste as a web designer or customer of a web designer.
Exploding pie charts have the sectors separated from the chart. A Pie of Pie chart will generate a smaller pie chart from the existing one and is used to reduce the clutter of the original or to emphasise a group of elements. A Bar of Pie differs from the former in that a bar chart is generated instead of a pie chart. Then, to be right up to date, you can elect to have a 3D pie chart to display percentages in a visually pleasing three-dimensional way. It is about having your data look impressive as much as showing what it is. 3D will always stand out from a webpage and catch the eye. Particularly that of the non-financial expert who will take slightly longer to interpret the data. They draw people in.
Histogram
A histogram will represent the frequency of continuous and discrete data within a dataset by using rectangular bars that are joined.
The different types to investigate with these include bimodal distribution, comb distribution, edge peak distribution, normal distribution, random distribution, or skewed distribution. So, there are several different options to choose from.
Other graphs or charts to consider include area charts, bubble charts, dot graphs, pictogram graphs, radar charts, a scatter plot, and spline charts. They are all for a web designer to choose between.
Think about how your financial presentations might translate to your website. For example, those you produce on PowerPoint.
Read also: What is a Radar Chart: How It Works, and When You Should Use It
Conclusion
So, with the many choices of graphs and charts possible and the knowledge required, it makes sense to hire an experienced web designer who is familiar with financial website design. It can make all the difference having your data displayed clearly to the financial or scientific world. Otherwise, investors, scientists, and statisticians will simply look elsewhere when seeking out the data of others.
[Image via: Google Images]
