SYMBOL | METHOD | PURPOSE | SIMILAR | REMARKS |
Patterns Relationships | Network Diagram | Nodes are placed along a liner plane. Arcs hop between nodes. | ||
| Area Graph | Data through time Patterns | Line Graph Stacked Area Graph | Uses a shaded arae to display Cumulative data and trends. |
Comparasons | Histogram Multi-set Bar Chart Population Pyramid Radial Bar Chart Radial Column Chart Stacked Bar Graph | A bar chart uses horizontal or vertical lines to make comparisons across catagories. | ||
| Box and Whisker Plot | Comparison Distribution Patterns Range | Span Chart Violin Plot | Displays how loose or tight data is spread. |
| Bubble Chart | Comparison Data through time Distribution Patterns Proportions Relationships | Proportional Area Chart Scatterplot | Displays data along an X and Y axis. Additional data is displayed by bubble color and size. |
| Bubble Map | Location Proportions | Dot Map Proportional Area | Comparing proportions over a geographical area regardless of physical size. |
| Bullet Graph | Comparison Ranges | Bar Chart | Like Aa bar chart, but with extra features to hold more data. |
| Calendar | Data through time Reference | Timetable | Used to display time periods |
| Candlestick Chart | Data through time Patterns Ranges | Kagi Chart | Often used for price fluctuations. |
| Circle Packing | Heirarchy Proportions | Treemap | Using circles to show proportions within a circle whole. |
| Connection Map | Distribution Location Movement Patterns Relationships | Flow Map | Connets various piont on a map with lines. |
| Density Plot Icon | Distribution Patterns | Histogram | Graph using an analog curve to represent a flucuation of a continuous value. |
| Donut Chart | Comparison Part to whole Proportion | Pie Chart Sunburst Chart | Displays Proportions. Also the thickness of the donut shows data of the whole. |
| Dot Map | Distribution Location Patterns | Bubble Map | Dots used to display geographical distribution and data concentration. |
| Dot Matrix Chart | Comparison Distribution Patterns Proportions | Pictogram | Overall proportion in a given data catagory. |
| Error Bar Diagram | Ranges | Shows margin of error in a given data set. Can be added to many charts and graphs. | |
| Euler Diagrams | Concepts Relationships | Venn Diagram | Displays a subcatagory completely within another catagory. |
| Flow Chart | Concepts Methods Process | ??? | The actions and steps of a process are displayed. |
| Flow Map | Distribution Location Movement | Connection Map Sankey Diagram | Show the flow of data by direction and volume. |
| Gantt Chart | Data Through Time Methods Processes Ranges Reference | Span Chart | Maps out tasks in a project by each task’s approximate duration. |
| Geographic Map | Comparison Location | ??? | How data compares over a geographical area. |
| Half Pie Chart | Comparison Proportion | Donut Chart Pie Chart | Each wedge shows the proportion of a whole. |
| Heatmap | Comparison Data Through Time Patterns Relationships | Visualises data through colors and intensity of the colors. | |
| Histogram | Distribution Patterns | Bar Chart Density Plot Population Pyramid | Shows the distribution of data over a continuous period. |
| Illustration Diagram | Concepts Methods Processes | ??? | Presents an actual illustration along with legends and notes to explain it’s content. |
| Kagi Diagram | Patterns Ranges | Candlestick Chart Point and Figure Chart | Track price fluctuations while omiting frivolous data. |
| Line Graph | Comparisons Data Through Time Patterns | Area Graph Stacked Area Graph | Shows how a variable changes at regular intervals. |
| Marimekko Chart | Comparisons Part to a Whole Proportions Relationships | Compairs the magnitude of various categories and their composition. | |
| Multi-bar Set Chart | Comparison Distribution Patterns Relationships | Bar Chart Histogram Stacked Bar Graph | Breaks data in main catagories into data in sub catagories. |
| Network Diagram | Relationships | Arc Diagram Chord Diagram Connection Map | Connections, relationships and structure maped out in a system. |
| Nightingale Rose Chart | Comparison Data Through Time Proportions | Pie Chart RadialColumn Chart | Display large differences between values. |
| Non-ribbon Chord Diagram | Relationships | Chord Diagram | Relationships are plotted to nodes arranged in a circle. |
Parallel Coordinates Plot | Comparison Relationships Patterns | Parallel Sets Radar Chart | Compares the relationships of many varibles. | |
| Parallel Sets | Comparison Distribution Flow Processes Proportion | Sankey Diagram Parallel Coordinates Plot | Displays flows, frequencies and proprtions across multiple dimentions. |
| Periodic Table | Condition Reference | A common reference tool in chemistry. | |
| Phase Diagram | Condition | ??? | The state of matter under various conditions. |
| Pictogram Chart | Comparison Distribution | Bar Chart Dot Matrix Chart | Use icons to represent pieces of data |
| Pie Chart | Comparison Percentage Part to whole Proportion | Donut Chart Half Pie Chart Nightingale Rose Chart | Each wedge shows the proportion of a whole. |
| Point and Figure Chart | Patterns | Kagi Chart | Displays relationship of suply and demand. |
| Population Pyramid | Comparison Distribution Patterns | Bar Chart Histogram | Back to back Histograms representing two groups (usally gender). |
| Proportional Area | Comparisons Proprtions | Bubble Chart | To compare amounts and sizes. |
| Radar Chart | Comparison Pattern Relationship | Parallel Coordinates Plot | Displays multivariate, quantitative data around a central point. |
| Radial Bar Chart | Comparison | Bar Chart Radial Column Chart | A bar chart in a polar coordinate configuration. |
| Radial Column Chart | Comparison | Bar Chart Radial Bar Chart | Displays data in a polar coordinate diagram. |
| Sankey Diagram | Flow Process Proportion | Flow Map Parallel Sets | Displays flow proportion. |
| Scatterplot | Patterns Relationship | Bubble Chart | Relationship between two varibles. |
| Span Chart Graph | Comparison Range | Box & Wisker Plot Candlestick Chart Gantt Chart | Displays ranges between minimum and maximun values. |
| Spiral Plot Graph | Data to time Patterns | ??? | Time based data wound in a spiral. |
| Stacked Area Graph | Comparison Data to time Patterns | Area Graph Line Graph | Multiple area graphs stacked on one another. |
| Stacked Bar Graph | Comparison Part to whole Proportion | Bar Chart Multi Set Bar Chart | Multiple bars stacked on top of one another. |
| Stem & Leaf Plot | Distribution Reference | Tally Time Table | Arranged by place value to show data distribution. |
| Sunburst Diagram | Heirarchy Part to whole | Donut Chart Pie Chart Treemap | Visualizes hierarchical data using concentric rings. |
| Tally | Comparison Distribution | Simple and rapid data collection | |
| Timeline | Data to time Distrabution Patterns | Displays events in chronological order. | |
| Time Table | Data to time Reference | Calendar | Organize data bin chronological and/or alphabetical order. |
| Treemap | Comparisons Hierarchy Part to a whole Proportion | Circle Packing Marimekko Sunburst Diagram | Displays proportions in a box like structure. |
| Venn Diagram | Comparison Relationships | Euler Diagrams | Displays similarities and differences between tow or more given sets. |
| Violin Plot | Distribution Patterns Ranges | Box & Wislker | Visualize distribution of data |
| Word Cloud | Frequency Proportion Summarize Text | ??? | Display word frequency. More common word larger |
