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What are the best practices for creating bar charts in BI?

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Bar charts are one of the most common and effective ways to visualize data in business intelligence (BI). They can show comparisons, trends, distributions, and proportions of different categories or groups. However, not all bar charts are created equal. To make sure your bar charts are clear, accurate, and impactful, you need to follow some best practices for designing and presenting them. In this article, we will cover six tips for creating bar charts in BI that will help you tell your data story better.

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1 Choose the right type of bar chart

There are different types of bar charts that serve different purposes and audiences. The most basic ones are horizontal and vertical bar charts, which show the values of one or more variables for each category or group. Horizontal bar charts are better for displaying long labels or many categories, while vertical bar charts are better for showing changes over time or ranking order. Other types of bar charts include stacked bar charts, which show the breakdown of subcategories within each category; grouped bar charts, which show the comparison of multiple variables for each category; and diverging bar charts, which show the positive and negative values of a variable relative to a baseline.

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Tai Chen Wei

Analyst | Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst ? Google Project Management ? SQL ? Alteryx Designer Core ? LSSGB | Registered Pharmacist
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There are many different types of bar charts which can be confusing. Here are some differentiating characteristics: 1. Standard bar chart - use if you want to compare individual things (like sales or scores) in different categories. 2. Stacked bar chart - use if you want to show both the total and how each part contributes to that total. 3. Grouped bar chart - use if you're comparing values of different groups within each category. Remembering these distinctions can make it easier to choose the right type of bar chart based on the specific insights you want to convey with your data.

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2 Use consistent and meaningful colors

Colors can enhance the readability and attractiveness of your bar charts, but they can also confuse or mislead your audience if used improperly. To avoid color overload or inconsistency, follow these guidelines: use a single color for a single variable, use different shades or hues of the same color for subcategories, use contrasting colors for comparing variables or highlighting outliers, and use colors that match the context and meaning of your data. For example, you can use green and red for profit and loss, or blue and orange for cold and warm temperatures. You can also use color palettes that are compatible with your BI tool or brand identity.

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Tai Chen Wei

Analyst | Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst ? Google Project Management ? SQL ? Alteryx Designer Core ? LSSGB | Registered Pharmacist
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When choosing colors for your bar chart, it's important to pick colors that make the information easy to read and understand. Here are my top 3 tips: 1. Avoid using colors that are too similar or too bright, as they can be hard on the eyes or cause confusion. 2. Keep the colors consistent for similar types of data points across different charts or reports. 3. Consider using color gradients to provide additional information or show variations within a category.

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3 Label your axes and bars clearly

Your bar charts should have clear and descriptive labels for your axes and bars, so that your audience can easily understand what your data represents and how it is measured. Your labels should be concise, accurate, and consistent with your data source and format. You should also avoid using abbreviations, acronyms, or jargon that your audience may not be familiar with. If your labels are too long or crowded, you can use abbreviations or shorten them, but make sure you provide a legend or footnote to explain them. You can also use horizontal or diagonal text orientation to save space and improve readability.

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Tai Chen Wei

Analyst | Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst ? Google Project Management ? SQL ? Alteryx Designer Core ? LSSGB | Registered Pharmacist
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Good axis labeling means making your chart easy for anyone to understand by putting clear, short labels on both the bottom and the side, and using units that make sense for what you're talking about.

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4 Sort your bars logically

The order of your bars can affect how your audience perceives and compares your data. Therefore, you should sort your bars in a logical and meaningful way, depending on your goal and message. For example, you can sort your bars by value, either ascending or descending, to show the ranking or distribution of your categories or groups. You can also sort your bars by time, alphabet, or category, to show the chronological, alphabetical, or categorical order of your data. You should avoid using random or arbitrary order, as it can make your bar charts look messy and confusing.

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5 Avoid 3D effects and unnecessary clutter

While 3D effects and other decorative elements may seem appealing or impressive, they can actually distort or obscure your data and reduce the clarity and credibility of your bar charts. 3D effects can create false impressions of depth, volume, or perspective, and make your bars look unequal or incomparable. They can also make your labels and colors harder to read or distinguish. Therefore, you should avoid using 3D effects and stick to 2D bar charts that are simple and flat. You should also remove any unnecessary clutter, such as gridlines, borders, backgrounds, or shadows, that do not add value or information to your bar charts.

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6 Add titles and captions to your bar charts

The final touch to your bar charts is to add titles and captions that summarize and explain your data and insights. Your titles should be brief and catchy, and capture the main point or question of your bar charts. Your captions should be informative and descriptive, and provide the context, source, and interpretation of your data. You should also use consistent and appropriate fonts, sizes, and styles for your titles and captions, and align them with your bar charts and BI dashboard. Your titles and captions should complement and reinforce your bar charts, and not repeat or contradict them.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the best practices for creating bar charts in BI?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Choose the right type of bar chart

2 Use consistent and meaningful colors

3 Label your axes and bars clearly

4 Sort your bars logically

5 Avoid 3D effects and unnecessary clutter

6 Add titles and captions to your bar charts

7 Here’s what else to consider

Business Intelligence

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What are the best practices for creating bar charts in BI?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Choose the right type of bar chart

2 Use consistent and meaningful colors

3 Label your axes and bars clearly

4 Sort your bars logically

5 Avoid 3D effects and unnecessary clutter

6 Add titles and captions to your bar charts

7 Here’s what else to consider

Business Intelligence

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