After creating wordless instructions for making charts in Excel, here is the Tableau version. This post discusses similarities and differences between both tools. Check out the e-books at the bottom! How to make a chart To make a chart, you must select the data, encode the data into visual objects, format those objects, and add text … Read more
An ebook that uses visual instructions to show how to make charts in Excel. Non-English speakers should be able to follow these instructions.
(All the Excel charts in my book are available for download, but I promised to write tutorials for a few of them. This is the first one.) Name: Bullet charts What it is used for: to display key performance indicators. Use them to replace speedometers if you want a more compact visual that can be stacked to … Read more
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][Update: I wrote a tutorial on how to make bullet charts] I am sure I’m missing something here, but I don’t understand why making bullet charts and boxplots have to be so … Read more
A year ago I wrote a post about the circumplex chart and how consulting firms use charts to increase their price tag. Not all charts, mind: only the ones that the average user don’t recognize from the Excel charts library. Funny enough, I got several messages from consultants asking how that chart was done. So, … Read more
OK, I’m very please to announce that ExcelCharts.com members area is now open and a new online Excel 2007 dashboard tutorial is available. Go ahead an open a free account: the first two modules are available there and more free stuff is coming soon. As promised, current users will get free access to this course. … Read more
Regular readers know that I’m updating my Excel dashboard tutorial and making it available online in a protected area of excelcharts.com. In exchange for their feedback, current users will get free access to the updated tutorial for Excel 2003 and also to the new Excel 2007 version. This is something I’ll be working on throughout … Read more
Animated charts are overrated. If you are using Excel, try to design a better user experience through interaction, not animation.
You need a better color palette for your Excel charts, but you are a mere mortal and your artistic skills are less than stellar. Hell, you can’t even choose the right tie for a suit! So, what do you do? (hint: watch the video below) Maybe we could ask Edward Tufte for advice. In Envisioning … Read more
Screencast: How to create a population pyramid in Excel. I am a big fan of screencasts, as a regular reader of this blog may have already noticed. They are great at showing how to use a tool to get something done and they are the best companions for tutorial (e-)books. This hypotetical regular reader might … Read more