Compare Categories with Pie Charts

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Pie charts are popular because they are easy to create and understand. The main use of a pie chart is to show comparisons between different categories. They are widely used in the media and in business reports as they give the reader a quick idea of the proportional distribution of data.

They are only effective when you're comparing 3-5 different data points with different quantities that are easy to differentiate. Pie charts are one of the most used and hated charts. Its shape is very familiar, but this visual representation is easily misleading if not used properly. When the number of data categories is small (less than 6) and you don't need to show progression over time, a pie chart might be appropriate. Use a pie chart if you want to illustrate the dominance of one category over the others.

The first question you should always ask yourself is whether visualizing your data is really necessary. Would it make the story easier to understand? Does it provide context? Is it relevant?

Including a visualization just for the sake of it can be confusing and reduce the impact of your story. Remember that bad data visualization can be worse than none at all.

It’s important to choose the right kind of graph to visualize your data. Here you will find a brief summary of various types of graphs and when it’s best to use what.

Take that into account! Make your visualizations as simple and clean as possible, it makes them much easier to understand and usually more visually appealing. Keep the ‘data to ink ratio’ in mind – if you had to print your visualization try and show as much information as possible using the least ink.

Basic Pie Chart

A basic pie chart, also referred to as a pie graph or pie diagram, is a circular chart representing data through slices of a pie. Each slice or sector corresponds to a category or data point, with its size reflecting the proportion or percentage it holds within the whole dataset. Basic pie charts are widely used to exhibit data distribution or composition, providing an instant comparison of various category proportions. However, it's essential to manage the number of categories, as too many slices can clutter the chart and hinder interpretation.

Doughnut Chart

A doughnut chart is a variant of the pie chart that incorporates a central hole, forming a ring-shaped chart. Like the basic pie chart, it showcases proportions or percentages of different categories. The empty center of the doughnut chart serves as an extra space for displaying supplementary information. Doughnut charts are valuable when presenting individual category proportions and the overall data composition. The ring design is visually appealing and offers a clear visualization of category relationships, while the center space allows for additional details.

Semi-Circle Pie Chart

A semi-circle pie chart, also known as a half-pie chart, utilizes half of the circle to depict data. Though it follows the principles of the basic pie chart, it displays data in a semi-circular format. Choosing between a full pie chart and a semi-circle pie chart depends on context and design preferences. The semi-circle pie chart can be an effective and concise option for visualizing two categories.

Irregular Pie Chart

An irregular pie chart, also called a radial bar chart or variable radius pie chart, departs from the traditional pie chart by varying the radii lengths of each segment. Instead of using arc length, this chart uses radius length to represent data. Irregular pie charts offer flexibility for data display and enable comparisons through radius differences. They're used for visualizing data with varying scales, such as customer surveys. When using an irregular pie chart, clarity is crucial. Accurate differences in radius lengths and clear labels or legends aid viewer understanding. While these charts can be powerful, they may demand more interpretation effort compared to basic pie charts due to their unique visual cues. Therefore, their use should prioritize effective data communication.

Infogram has made this easy with five steps:

1. Log in to Infogram.
2. Choose a type of pie chart (pie, semi-circle, donut, irregular).
3. Upload or copy and paste your data.
4. Customize your look/feel with labels, colors, fonts, and graphics.
5. Download your pie chart, or embed it on your website.

Don’t worry about creating code! We took care of the technical steps, allowing you to be a pie chart creator and delight your audience.

• Add a name or number to each segment of your pie chart to make it easier to read.
• When using percentages, make sure all segments add up to 100%. Sounds obvious, but it is a common mistake.
• Avoid using 3D perspective or shadows as it makes your data difficult to understand.
• Use less than 6 pie slices to get your point across. If the pie slices have roughly the same value, consider using a bar or column chart instead.

Need more tips for choosing the right type of chart? Read the article: How to Choose the Right Chart for Your Data.

Each chart comes pre-populated with sample data to show how data should be formatted when it's inserted into the chart. To add data to a chart you can:

• Copy and paste
• Import via integrations

To add data by copying and pasting:

1. Click the Add chart icon on the left side panel and select the chart you wish to use.
   • Drag and drop it into the editor.
   • Double-click to access the chart's data table.
2. Select a cell and start typing or use keyboard controls:
   • CTRL/CMD+C to copy
   • CTRL/CMD+X to cut
   • CTRL/CMD+V to paste
   • CTRL/CMD+z to undo the last edit
3. Right-click a cell to access a menu with styling options.

Customize charts to look just the way you want them to! Chart settings are located in the right sidebar of the editor.After adding a chart to your project, select it once to access chart settings. Use tabs at the top to switch between the data table and settings.Here you can add animation to your chart, as well as edit (click on hyperlink settings to be redirected to tutorial articles):

• Chart properties
• Color
• Axis and grid
• Fonts
• Legend
• Tooltips
• Data format
• Accessibility