Forum Discussion
Line chart and Area chart
Line Chart serve the purpose of Area chart then why do we need Area chart. Please explain the difference between these two charts.
Hi Rsing
At most sources of data viz you can find explanations like this :
https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/a-data-visualization-duel-line-charts-vs-area-chartsPersonally, I do not recommend using area charts in any scenario.
The reason is that once you see an area, you start comparing sizes. However, the purpose of a line chart is not to compare the height of the lines, but rather to show the change in direction (upward/downward) and the magnitude of the change, which is represented by the angle (the steeper the slope, the more dramatic the change).
Area charts do not effectively convey this information and can even be misleading. Additionally, the human brain needs "white space" to process information, and area charts can be overwhelming.
In conclusion, if the goal is to show a trend or compare trends, a line chart is a much more user-friendly option. If the goal is to compare sizes, then bar charts are a better choice.
I highly recommend learning more about data visualization and reading books by Stephen Few. I've also included a link to my blog, which contains some articles in English.
The link to my blog :
Rita Fainshtein | Profile (madeiradata.com)
If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly
1 Reply
Hi Rsing
At most sources of data viz you can find explanations like this :
https://www.beautiful.ai/blog/a-data-visualization-duel-line-charts-vs-area-chartsPersonally, I do not recommend using area charts in any scenario.
The reason is that once you see an area, you start comparing sizes. However, the purpose of a line chart is not to compare the height of the lines, but rather to show the change in direction (upward/downward) and the magnitude of the change, which is represented by the angle (the steeper the slope, the more dramatic the change).
Area charts do not effectively convey this information and can even be misleading. Additionally, the human brain needs "white space" to process information, and area charts can be overwhelming.
In conclusion, if the goal is to show a trend or compare trends, a line chart is a much more user-friendly option. If the goal is to compare sizes, then bar charts are a better choice.
I highly recommend learning more about data visualization and reading books by Stephen Few. I've also included a link to my blog, which contains some articles in English.
The link to my blog :
Rita Fainshtein | Profile (madeiradata.com)
If this post helps, then please consider Accepting it as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly