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How to Make a Presentation Graph

Visuals are a core element of effective communication, and regardless of the niche, graphs facilitate understanding data and trends. Data visualization techniques aim to make data engaging, easy to recall and contextualize while posing as a medium to simplify complex concepts .

In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of creating a presentation graph, briefly covering the types of graphs you can use in presentations, and how to customize them for maximum effectiveness. Additionally, you can find references on how to narrate your graphs while delivering a presentation.

Table of Contents

What is a Presentation Graph?

Types of graphs commonly used in presentations, how to select a presentation graph type, design principles for effective presentation graphs, working with presentation graph templates, integrating the graph into your presentation, common mistakes to avoid when making a presentation graph, final words.

A presentation graph is a visual representation of data, crafted in either 2D or 3D format, designed to illustrate relationships among two or more variables. Its primary purpose is to facilitate understanding of complex information, trends, and patterns, making it easier for an audience to grasp insights during a presentation. 

By visually encoding data, presentation graphs help highlight correlations, distributions, and anomalies within the dataset, thereby supporting more informed decision-making and discussion. 

Various types of graphs are commonly used in presentations. Each type serves specific purposes, allowing presenters to choose the most suitable format for conveying their data accurately. Here, we’ll discuss some common examples of presentation graphs.

Check our guide for more information about the differences between charts vs. graphs .

A bar chart is a visual tool that represents data using horizontal bars, where the length of each bar correlates with the data value it represents. This type of chart is used to compare discrete categories or groups, highlighting differences in quantities or frequencies across these categories. 

Column Graphs

Column graphs are a variation of bar charts. They display data through vertical columns, allowing for comparing values across different categories or over time. Each column’s height indicates the data value, making it straightforward to observe differences and trends.

Line Graphs

Line graphs depict information as a series of data points connected by straight lines. They are primarily used to show trends over time or continuous data, with the x-axis typically representing time intervals and the y-axis representing the measured values. Line graphs highlight the rate of change between the data points, indicating trends and fluctuations.

Circle Graphs

Circle graphs, commonly known as pie charts or donut charts, present the data distribution as fractions of an entity. They provide a quick understanding of the relative sizes of each component within a dataset. Pie charts are particularly effective when the goal is to highlight the contribution of each part to the whole data.

Area Graphs

Area graphs are similar to line graphs, but the space below the line is filled in, emphasizing the volume beneath the curve. They represent cumulative totals over time through the use of sequential data points, making it easier to see total values and the relative significance of different parts of the data.

Cone, Cylinder, and Pyramid Graphs

Three-dimensional graphs, such as cones, cylinders, and pyramids, create a dynamic visual impact on presentations. While not as common as the other types, they are used for their ability to add depth and dimension to data representation. These graphs create a visually engaging experience for the audience, although sometimes they sacrifice accuracy for the sake of visuals.

As a presenter, you must be aware of both the topic’s requirements to discuss and your audience’s needs. Different graphs fulfill distinct purposes, and selecting the right one is critical for effective communication.

Line Graphs for Trends Over Time

A line graph is effective when you want to present trends or changes over a continuous period, like sales performance over months. Each point on the line represents a specific time, offering a clear visual representation of the data’s progression.

Bar Graphs for Comparing Quantities

If your goal is to compare quantities or values across different categories, such as sales figures for various products, a bar graph is suitable. The varying lengths of bars make it easy to compare the magnitudes of different categories.

Pie Charts for Showing Proportions

Use pie charts when you want to illustrate parts of a whole. For example, to represent the percentage distribution of expenses in a budget, a pie chart divides the total into segments, each corresponding to a category.

Follow these guidelines to create your presentation graph for the data you intend to represent. 

How to Make a Presentation Graph in PowerPoint

Start by opening your presentation slide deck. For this tutorial’s purpose, we’ll work with a blank slide.

Switch to the Insert tab and click on Chart . 

A new dialogue window will open, where you have to select the chart type and the specific representation type—i.e., for area charts, you can choose from 2D or 3D area charts and their distribution method.

If you hover over the selected chart, it will zoom in to check the details. Double-click to insert the chosen graph into the slide.

As we can see, a spreadsheet to edit the data is now available. If you accidentally close it, go to Chart Design > Edit Data.

Replace the data in the numbers to reflect the data you need to showcase. The columns’ titles indicate the text the legend shows for each series. Then, we can close the spreadsheet and continue customizing it.

By clicking on the paintbrush, we access the Style options for the graph. We can change the background color, layout style, and more.

If we switch to the Color tab inside of Style , we can modify the color scheme for the presentation graph. And as simple as that is how to make a graph in PowerPoint.

How to Make a Presentation Graph in Google Slides

Now, let’s see how to create a graph in Google Slides. We start once again from a blank slide.

Go to Insert > Chart . Select your desired presentation graph option. In our case, we will work with a Pie Chart.

To change the placeholder data, click on Edit Data .

If you missed the emergent tab, you can go to the three points in the graph, click on them, and select Open Source .

The graph will most likely cover the data spreadsheet, so move it to one side to see the entire data range. In this case, the auto-generated graph is wrong as the sum gives 110%. We’ll correct that now.

And this is how it looks with the corrected data.

Next, we click on the three dots on the chart and select Edit the Chart . This shall open all customization options.

At the Setup tab, we can change the chart style and select from various options. 

The data will refresh in that case and adapt its representation to the new style.

If we switch to the Customize tab (it says Customise, as the selected language is UK English), we can fine-tune our presentation graph starting from the background color.

Activate the 3D checkbox to change to a 3D pie chart (applicable to any graph).

We can find tailored settings for the Pie Chart to convert it to a donut chart, with settings like the donut hole size.

The Pie Slice section helps us change the color scheme for each one of the slices.

We can change the title and axis titles in the Chart and axis titles section.

Finally, the Legend section offers many customization options to alter the legend’s format.

Once the customization process is completed, close the Google Spreadsheets tab, go to your presentation chart, and click Update .

Google Slides will refresh the data for your created presentation graph with the last synced data.

Adhering to certain design principles is imperative for creating graphs and communicating information effectively.

Simplicity and Clarity

A graph should be clean and free from unnecessary details. Clear graphs have visible data points and helpful short texts for better understanding. Even if it looks simple, it can still show important information. To make it easy to understand, avoid adding distortions, shading, weird perspectives, too many colors, unnecessary decorations, or 3D effects [2]. It is also essential to ensure the plotted data points are clear, not hidden or covered.

Use of Color and Contrast

Thoughtful use of color and contrast enhances visual appeal and distinguishes different elements within the graph. Colors can effectively improve the chart presentation in three ways: highlighting specific data, grouping items, and encoding quantitative values. However, do not use fancy or varying colors in the background. We suggest resisting decorating graphs excessively, as it can hinder clear data presentation [4]. Only use different colors when they highlight important differences in the data.

Labeling and Legends

Accurate labeling is crucial to provide context and understanding. While designing graphs, we don’t expect the viewer to guess. Instead, we clearly label titles and axes.  Clear labeling means displaying both axes on your graph, including measurement units if needed. Identify symbols and patterns in a legend or caption [3]. Legends explain symbols and patterns in a graph.

Scale and Proportion

For more clarity, we keep the measurement scales consistent and avoid distortions for accuracy. This ensures the exact difference between all the values. It will present data relationships and prevent misinterpretation due to skewed visual perceptions.

Tips for Customizing Graphs

PowerPoint provides various customization options—Right-click on elements like axes, data points, or legends to format them. You can also change colors, fonts, and styles to match your presentation’s look.

Coloring Your Data

When you want to make different parts of your chart stand out, click on a bar or line. Then, right-click and choose “Format Data Series.” Here, you can pick a color that helps each set of data pop. Do this for each part of your chart to make it visually appealing.

Changing the Chart Background

If you want to change the background color around your chart, right-click on the white space. Choose “Format Chart Area” and change the background color to something that complements your data.

Customizing Line Styles

Change the appearance of your lines for a unique look. Click on a line in your chart, right-click, and select “Format Data Series.” Experiment with different line styles, such as solid, dashed, or dotted.

Fine-tuning Axis Appearance

To make your chart axes look polished, right-click on the X or Y axis and choose “Format Axis.” Adjust properties like line color, tick marks, and label font to suit your design.

Perfecting Legends

Legends can be tweaked for a more integrated look. Right-click on the legend, select “Format Legend,” and adjust options like placement, font size, and background color to enhance the overall appearance.

Creating graphs in PowerPoint or Google Slides from scratch can be time-consuming, and ultimately, it won’t yield the same results as professional-made designs. We invite you to discover some cool designs for presentation graphs PPT templates made by SlideModel.

1. Dashboard Presentation Graph for PowerPoint & Google Slides

Don’t worry about how to make a graph in PowerPoint – let’s us bring the resources in the shape of a cool dashboard layout. Ideal for any kind of e-commerce business, you can track expenses or income, evaluate metrics, and much more.

Use This Template

2. Infographic Donut Chart Presentation Template

Explain concepts in different hierarchy levels, or processes that require a set of sequential steps by implementing this donut chart PPT template. Each segment has a bubble callout to expand further information for the areas required.

3. Presentation Graph Slide Deck PPT Template

All that’s required to create a data-driven presentation is here. Customize donut charts, funnels, histograms, point & figure charts, and more to create professionally-designed presentation slides.

4. PowerPoint Charts Slide Deck

If you’re looking for clean layouts for column graphs, area charts, line graphs and donut charts, this is the template you need in your toolbox. Perfect for marketing, financial and academic reports.

Consider its relevance to the content when incorporating your graph into the presentation. Insert the graph in a slide where it logically fits within the flow of information.

Positioning the Graph Appropriately in the Presentation

Deciding where to put your graph in the presentation is essential. You want it to be where everyone can see it easily and where it makes sense. Usually, you place the graph on a slide that talks about the data or topic related to the graph. This way, people can look at the graph simultaneously when you talk about it. Make sure it is not too small. If needed, you can make it bigger or smaller to fit nicely on the slide. The goal is to position the graph so that it helps your audience understand your information better.

Ensuring Consistency with the Overall Design of the Presentation

Align the graph with the overall design of your presentation to maintain a cohesive visual appeal. You can use consistent colors, fonts, and styles to integrate the graph seamlessly. The graph must complement the theme and tone of your slides. Therefore, you should avoid flashy or distracting elements that may deviate from the established design. The goal is to create a harmonious and professional presentation where the graph blends naturally without causing visual disruptions. However, we recommend you use chart templates already available for presentation.

Narrating Your Graph

When explaining your graph during the presentation, start by providing context. Clearly state what the graph illustrates and its significance to the audience. Use simple and direct language, avoiding unnecessary jargon. It is important to walk through the axes, data points, and any trends you want to highlight. Speaking moderately allows the audience to absorb the information without feeling rushed. You can take pause when needed to emphasize crucial points or transitions.

You can learn more about creative techniques to narrate your graph in our data storytelling guide.

Overloading with Information

One common mistake is presenting too much information on a single graph. Avoid filling the graph with excessive data points or unnecessary details.

Misleading Scales or Axes

Scale mistakes, such as uneven intervals or a bar chart with zero baselines, are common graphical mistakes [5]. Misleading scales can distort the interpretation of the graph and lead to incorrect conclusions. Scales should accurately present the data without exaggerating certain aspects.

Inappropriate Graph Types for the Data

Selecting an inappropriate graph type for your data is a mistake to avoid. Choose a graph type that effectively communicates the nature of your data. For instance, a pie chart for time-based trends might not be the most suitable choice. Match the graph type to the data characteristics to convey information accurately.

Working with presentation graphs may feel challenging for a beginner in presentation design software. Still, practice makes the master. Start by clearly stating your objectives in terms of data representation—this will make the presentation graph-type selection process much easier. Customize the graph by working with appropriate color combinations (you can learn more about this in our color theory guide), as this can also help highlight relevant data sections that may influence an informed decision.

Everything depends on your creative skills and how you want to showcase information. As a final piece of advice, we highly recommend working with one graph per slide, unless you opted for a dashboard layout. Ideally, graphs should be seen from a distance, and working with reduced sizes may hinder accurate data representation.

[1] https://uogqueensmcf.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/BA Modules/Medical Laboratory/Medical Laboratory Courses PPT/Year III Sem II/Biostatistics/lecture 1.pdf (Accessed: 06 March 2024).

[2] Five Principles of Good Graphs. https://scc.ms.unimelb.edu.au/resources/data-visualisation-and-exploration/data-visualisation

[3} Guide to fairly good graphs. Statistics LibreTexts. https://stats.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Applied_Statistics/Biological_Statistics_(McDonald)/07%3A_Miscellany/7.02%3A_Guide_to_Fairly_Good_Graphs

[4] Practical rules for using color in charts. https://nbisweden.github.io/Rcourse/files/rules_for_using_color.pdf

[5] https://iase-web.org/islp/documents/Media/How%20To%20Avoid.pdf [6] Duquia, R.P. et al. (2014) Presenting data in tables and charts , Anais brasileiros de dermatologia . 10.1590/abd1806-4841.20143388

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Presentation ideas • Tips and Tricks

15 Creative Ways to Use Charts and Graphs in Presentations

Emily Bryce

12 December 2022

In today’s data-driven world, presentations are no longer just about presenting ideas and concepts, but also about presenting data in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner. This is where charts and graphs come in. They help to visualize data, making it easier for the audience to grasp and retain information. In this blog post, we will explore creative ways to use charts and graphs in presentations.

1. Use charts and graphs to compare data

One of the most common uses of charts and graphs is to compare data. Whether you are comparing sales figures, market trends or customer feedback, charts and graphs can help you present the information in a visually compelling way. Use bar charts, line graphs, pie charts, and scatter plots to showcase the data in a way that makes it easy to understand and compare.

2. Use charts and graphs to show trends

Another way to use charts and graphs in presentations is to show trends over time. For example, if you are presenting the growth of your business over the last five years, use a line graph to show the upward trend. If you want to show the fluctuations in your business over a period of time, use a scatter plot to highlight the highs and lows.

3. Use charts and graphs to show relationships

Charts and graphs can also be used to show the relationship between different sets of data. For example, if you are presenting the correlation between customer satisfaction and sales, use a scatter plot to show the relationship between the two variables. You can also use bubble charts to show the relationship between three different variables.

4. Use charts and graphs to show distribution

If you are presenting data that is distributed across a range, such as the ages of your customers, use a histogram to show the distribution. Histograms are great for showing the frequency distribution of data, and they can help you identify patterns and trends in the data.

5. Use charts and graphs to show proportions

Pie charts are a great way to show proportions. Use pie charts to show the proportion of sales for different products or the proportion of the budget allocated to different departments. Make sure to keep the number of categories to a minimum to ensure that the chart is easy to read.

6. Use creative chart and graph designs

Charts and graphs don’t have to be boring. Use creative designs and colors to make your charts and graphs stand out. For example, you can use a bar chart with a gradient background to make it more visually appealing. You can also use icons and images to make your charts and graphs more engaging.

7. Use charts and graphs to tell a story

Finally, use charts and graphs to tell a story. Don’t just present the data, but use it to support your message. Use a combination of charts and graphs to create a narrative that engages your audience and leaves them with a clear understanding of your message.

In conclusion, charts and graphs are a powerful tool for presenting data in an engaging and easy-to-understand manner. Use them creatively to showcase data, tell a story, and leave a lasting impression on your audience. With the right use of charts and graphs, you can take your presentations to the next level.

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Top Tips for Using Graphs and Charts in your Presentations

Graphs and charts are a great way to convey complex information.  But it is also easy to deliver information overload. We asked a range of expert presenters for their hints and tips on using graphs and charts in presentations.

Types of Graphs

Although texts carry ideas among individuals, there is no replacement for the pictorial representations that exist right from the days men lived in caves.  In order to standardise the communication, many types of graphs evolved in the man’s quest for quick, easy and precise representation of data. Graphs range from simple lines to complex cosmograms that even animate.

The below infographic will share some interesting information about different graph types:

1.     Less is more

I think one of the big things is to make sure you are using the right kind of chart to display the story you want your data to tell. Also, less is more. Charts are busy enough and any extra axis numbers, tick marks and such should be removed and the gridlines should be subtle colours that don’t overwhelm the image.

2.  Highlight key data points

I am asked to do a lot of creative tinkering with charts, and one of the most requested items is to highlight particular data points on a line chart. An easy and effective way to do this is by assigning a unique graphic to selected data points.

To do this you simply have to insert the graphic (could also be a text box with a relevant symbol character or wingding) somewhere on the slide. Then cut the graphic item to the clipboard. Go into your chart and select the single data point you want to affect (make sure you have the single data point and not the data series selected) and paste the graphic.

Valary Oleinik

Now that data point will carry the unique appearance even as the chart figures change.

I use this in instances such as a stock price timeline where you want to highlight the price at a certain date or you want to highlight where a change occurred in a business and you want a visual marker to make a comparison of the effects prior to and after the change. I could work up a chart sample if you would like.

3.  Simplify your slides

Many graphs can be simplified to make them easier to read.

Take this example.

• Too much clutter, what I call mumblers and what Edward Tufte calls chartjunk. These mumblers are like the dense foliage in a jungle; you need to hack away at them with effort to work your way further into the jungle. Mumblers in this chart include horizontal lines, unnecessarily large numbers on the x- and y-axes, unnecessary detailed text.
• Large gaps between the columns. The rule of thumb is the bars should be TWICE as large as the gap.
• Sideways numbers above the bars, which are unnecessarily hard to read. In fact, you don’t need the y-axis at all if the bar values are included.
• No pictures. Whenever possible, try to convert your graphs into concrete pictures. Adding a pictures of Bush and Obama can replace the legend.

Here is an example of how this slide can be improved.

Bruce Gabrielle

4.  Pie charts are not always easy to understand

Use the correct graph to display data. Pie charts are generally poor because viewers cannot quickly understand relative sizes of pie slices. Horizontal bar charts, sorted from high to low, communicate more clearly and are easier for the reader to scan quickly.

Both have their place, depending on what the audience needs.

Bruce Gabrielle – author, Speaking PowerPoint – www.speakingppt.com

5. Create better-looking graphs in PowerPoint 2010

PowerPoint 2010 creates much better graphs than the standard graphs that you get with PowerPoint 2003. Something we often do here if we are creating a PowerPoint 2003 presentation and the client does NOT need to edit the graphs themselves: we would create much better-looking graphs in PowerPoint 2010 and then copy them into the 2003 presentation as images. We know we are in the very fortunate position of having easy access to all versions of PowerPoint and this might not be possible for everyone.

6. Be careful of embedding sensitive data

But there are more reasons for doing this than just more visually aesthetic graphs. Whatever version of PowerPoint you are using, it’s still a good idea to keep the editable graph separate from your main presentation.

We know of a horror story where a presentation was left behind after an event and the Excel files that linked to the graphs contained some very commercially sensitive information.

7. Convey data in other ways than PowerPoint

Very few people remember the numbers. Convey them in some other meaningful way.

I had a participant on a course recently who was talking about a number of people that had been taken out of poverty in recent years. The number is meaningless, because I wouldn’t remember and cannot comprehend the number of people.

When he paused for a moment and said “That’s the same as the population of America”, it was easily understandable and extremely memorable.

8. Use props to convey data

Use props – check out Hans Rosling at TED on population statistics. He uses boxes and models of cars, planes and flip flops.

Paul Hayden

I once used steel buckets and coins – for the effect of the noise. If you show your market share by tipping in a (proportional number of ) few coins and then show the size of the available market left by tipping in another proportional number, people will not remember the number, but they will remember how long that noise lasted and how much share is up for grabs.

9. Only present key information

Think of what it means to the audience, perhaps just some of the data is enough (e.g. top 3 or 5 instead of the whole chart)

10. Concentrate on trends and changes

Concentrate on trends and changes rather than numbers and data.

11. 3D graphs are hard to read

Avoid 3-d graphs as much as possible, they are hard to read.

12. Animate your graphs

Try to animate the data instead of showing everything at once (overwhelming). By animating I don’t mean the custom animation on the software, but show the data gradually, one bar at a time for comparisons, one year at a time on a line chart, one piece of the pie on pie charts.

It will be like storytelling your data and the audience will be able to keep up.

Dr.Ahmad Al-Ani

13.  Take a look at data visualisation

Yolanthe Smit

I find graphs and charts usually rather boring unless they are on paper or a webpage so I can study them at my leisure.

We recently devoted an entire TEDxTheHague Salon to data visualisation and watched these great presentations:

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How to Make Charts & Graphs in Google Slides? [Complete Guide!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Graphs and charts are inseparable parts of statistics. There is no better way to graphically demonstrate gradual progression or degradation of status than using graphs and charts. If you want to include bar graphs or pie charts in your Google Slides presentation, you are in luck. Google Slides has an excellent built-in feature to do that.

You can make charts and graphs in Google Slides by using their built-in feature. Click insert from the tabs and place the cursor on ‘Chart’. You will see a variety of charts to choose from. There is also an option to make graphical charts from Google Sheets.

For a proper graphical presentation, you must know the ins and outs of how to make charts & graphs in Google Slides. There are quite a few types of these like the bar graph, line graph, pie chart, column chart, etc. In this article, I will explain how you can make all of these in Google Slides. So, let’s get started!

Pro Tip – You can also use a Google Slides Charts Template to make your charts and graphs look really awesome, and make your presentation stand out!

If you want to make your charts in Google Slides really attractive (like the ones shown in the image above), make sure you check out the later section of the article !

How to Make a Bar Graph in Google Slides

A bar graph is a graphical representation of numbers, quantities, data, or statistics using rectangular-shaped bars or strips. It is also known as a bar chart. Many people often get confused between bar charts and column charts. A very common misconception is that they are the same. Actually, they are quite different.

Both bar charts and column charts use rectangular bars to represent data. The key difference between the two types of charts is in their orientation. A bar graph is oriented horizontally unlike a column chart.

Making a bar graph in Google Slides is very easy. Google Slides has top-of-the-line built-in features that make bar graphs.

Here’s how to insert a bar chart in Google Slides

• Click on the ‘Insert’ menu from the menu bar.
• Next, click on ‘Chart’.
• Click ‘Bar’ to create a bar chart in Google Slides
• A bar chart will be inserted into your Google Slides file. Edit the source data to create a unique bar chart.

Whenever you insert a chart in Google Slides, it will be automatically linked to a spreadsheet in Google Sheets. You can access the spreadsheet by clicking on the Linked chart option>Open source.

In the image above, you will be able to see how to access the chart data and edit it to create your own chart.

Click on the link button, then select “Open Source”. This will open a new Google Sheet containing the source data in a new tab. You can then edit it as per your requirement and redesign the chart.

How to Make a Pie Chart in Google Slides?

A pie chart is another popular method of graphical demonstration where a circle is divided into various sections, each section representing a proportion of the whole. The pie chart is preferred to bar graphs by many because it contains the whole set of data in a single component. A pie chart is easier to visually compare than other charts.

Making a pie chart in Google Slides is as easy as inserting any other chart.

Here’s how to insert a Pie Chart in Google Slides –

• Click ‘Insert’ from the tabs.
• From the dropdown menu, click on ‘Chart.’
• Click ‘Pie’ which should be the fourth option.
• A pie chart will be inserted into your Google Slides file.

There are tons of options to customize the pie chart. You can change data range, select chart types, make changes within the pie such as changing the colors of the slices, changing the background color, and a lot more. Some features may not be even needed most of the time.

Once you insert the pie chart, go to Linked chart option>Open source.

A Google Sheets file will open with the pie chart on it. Click on the pie chart to select it. Click on the three vertical dots on the top right of the pie chart and select ‘ Edit the chart ‘.

The chart editor will appear on the right. From the setup tab, you can change the pie types to 3D pie chart, doughnut pie chart, etc.

From the customize tab, you can change the pie type, colors of the slice, their distances from the center, titles, and so on.

How to Make a Line Graph in Google Slides?

A line graph uses a horizontal line with progressive inclination or declination to represent changes over a period of time. Line graphs are better to present small changes than bar charts or column charts. The line chart is also used to compare changes between two or more groups over the same period.

The process of inserting a line graph in Google Slides is also quite similar. To insert a line graph in Google Slides, do the following:

• Click or place the cursor on ‘Chart.’
• Click ‘Line’ which should be the third option.
• A line chart will be inserted into your Google Slides file.

A spreadsheet file will be linked instantaneously, similar to other charts. A pop-up will appear on the bottom left of your screen for a short period saying ‘Chart Inserted Edit in Sheets.’

You can click it to access the spreadsheet directly. If it disappears, you can still access the spreadsheet by clicking on the Linked chart option>Open source.

You can select various line charts like smooth line chart, combo line chart by going to the chart editor.

How to Make a Column Chart in Google Slides?

Column charts are matchless for showing comparison among several groups over a certain period. Column charts use vertical rectangular columns for data presentation whereas bar graphs use horizontal rectangular bars.

You can easily make column charts in Google Slides by following these steps:

• Click ‘Column’ which should be the third option.
• A column chart will be inserted into your Google Slides file.

You can edit the columns similarly from Google Sheets. You can change the column types to stacked columns or 100% stacked columns.

How to Format the Charts in Google Slides?

The option to format the way the chart looks in Google Slides is quite limited.

If you want to change the color of the graph or adjust the way the fonts look or the way the title looks on the chart in Google Slides, there are some options available but they are quite a few.

So, let’s look at how you can format the charts in Google Slides –

Step 1 – Right Click on the Chart and Open “Format Options”

The first step to format the way your chart looks is to right click on the chart. From the pop-up menu, click on “Format Options”.

Step 2 – Use Recolor option to Adjust Colors

When you open the format options window, you will see more option to format the chart. The most helpful option in this menu is the “Recolor” option.

Google Slides will provide you with a few built-in presets for “ recolor “. Although you don’t get to choose the exact colors, it does help you change the color of your chart.

Step 3 – Edit using the Chart Editor Option in Sheets

If you want to edit additional information visible on the chart, you will need to open the source data in Google Sheets. You can do that by clicking on the “link” button on the top right corner of the chart. Then, from the dropdown, click on the “Open Source” option.

Step 4 – Click on “Edit Chart” option on Sheets

Next, when the data opens up in Google Sheets, click on the graph. On the top right corner of the graph, you will see 3 vertical dots. Click on it. From the dropdown, click on “ Edit Chart “

You will notice that a new window will open on the right part of your screen. You can now click on various parts of the graph and edit the information. For example, you can change the title of the chart, change the color of a particle bar, edit the gridlines, vertical axis, legends, etc.

Step 5 – Copy and Paste (or Update) the Chart in Google Slides

Once you are done with the changes, you can simply copy the chart from the sheets (using Ctrl+C or Cmd+C), and paste it to your Google Slides presentation. When you paste the chart back to your Google Slides presentation, make sure you select the “Link to Spreadsheet” option!

You can also go back to the original chart on your presentation and click on the “ Update ” option (right where the link option was previously visible on the chart in Google Slides). However, I wouldn’t advise using this option as I’ve noticed that the update option doesn’t update the chart exactly as per the formatting changes made in Google Sheets.

How to Link your Charts and Graphs to Google Sheets?

It is entirely possible that sometimes the chart has already been created or the data is available in Google Sheets and you don’t want to redo all the hardwork. In such a scenario, you need to insert the chart or graph from Google Sheets and make sure that it links to the sheets!

This is very important because you can’t edit the data of the charts in Google Slides. You must link your Google Slides presentation to a Google Sheets file where you will be able to insert and edit various data to be presented in graphical form. You can also edit the chart types from Google Sheets.

When you insert a chart in Google Slides, it is automatically linked to a Google Sheets document. You can access it by either clicking ‘Chart Inserted Edit in Sheets’ on the bottom left of the chart or by clicking on the Linked chart option>Open source.

If you want your present the data from your spreadsheet in Google Slides, follow the steps below:

• Open the Google Sheets document.
• Click on ‘ Insert chart ’ from the ribbon.

• A chart will be inserted into your Google Sheets file.
• You can change the chart type from the chart editor on the right side.
• Then, open your Google Slides file.

• Click ‘ Insert ’ from the tabs.
• Click or place the cursor on ‘ Chart .’
• Click ‘ From Sheets ’ which should be the last option.

• Select the Google Sheets file that you inserted a chart previously and saved on your Google drive. (as shown in the above image)

• Then, in the next step, select the chart that you want to insert, and click “ Import ” (as shown in the above image)
• The same data chart will be inserted on your Google Slides presentation from Google Sheets.

If you unlink the chart by clicking the Linked chart option>Unlink , you can delete the chart and insert a new one which will be linked to a spreadsheet by default.

How to Insert a Table in Google Slides?

To insert a table in Google Slides, follow the steps mentioned below:

• Click or place the cursor on ‘ Table .’
• You can choose the number of rows and columns by moving the cursor.
• Click on your desired number of rows and columns.
• The maximum number of rows and columns you can choose is 20.

How to Make Charts More Attractive in Google Slides?

Now that you’ve learned how to create charts and graphs in Google Slides, you may perhaps want to make sure that your charts, graphs, and tables look really professional. We all know that there are several advantages to ensuring that our presentations look really nice! But, how do we make our charts look out of the world?

The best way to make your charts more attractive (especially if you have basic design skills) is to purchase presentation templates from well-known platforms. Such presentation templates are inexpensive and can be used over and over again in multiple presentations.

Learning the skills to create beautiful designs takes a lot of time. Instead, how about we borrow the skills of a graphic designer and just pay a few dollars (about $5-$15) for a presentation template that can be used multiple times! I’d definitely go with the latter option if I had basic design skills.

If you choose to buy a presentation template to make your charts look good, I’ve got 2 amazing options for you. Although there are several options that are available, I’m only recommending to you the best option that you should go with. So, here are my favorite options –

1. Best Charts and Tables Collection (Google Slides V367)

This charts and tables collection will provide you with about 75 unique slides in 5 different color combinations. It offers a very clean, and a minimal design for charts, graphs and tables.

There are more than 15 different types of graphs that are presented in the template. All the charts are completely editable. This template is designed for 16:9 widescreen slide size.

One thing that you need to keep in mind is that this template is available using Envato Elements. The pricing for that starts at $16.5/month. The good thing about it is that you can take a subscription for 1 month and download as many presentation templates as you like! There is no additional cost for more presentations you download!

This charts and graphs presentation is a well-rounded and complete template in my opinion. You will be able to achieve a lot more than just simple chart designs available in Google Slides by default.

2. KPI Dashboard Kit (for Google Slides )

So, this is a great template to make your presentation graphs look amazing and professional.

This presentation template is mainly focused towards KPI dashboards and data representations. That said, the charts used in this presentation template are quite unique in design and look really professional.

Moreover, these chart and graph designs can be used in any presentation! So, it doesn’t really matter if you are creating a KPI Dashboard or not.

The template itself costs just $9, but there are hundreds of chart designs available in this template that can be used for pretty much any purpose! Plus, if you do use PowerPoint, this template even comes with amazing animations to make your data stand out even more!

Lastly, there are over 100 color combinations to choose from! Click on the button below to check it out!

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Credit to karlyukav (via Freepik) for the featured image of this article

Jazz Up Your Presentation: 6 Ways to Put an End to Ugly Charts and Graphs

Updated on: 22 December 2020

People often add charts and graphs to their presentation trying to make it more interesting. Unfortunately, most efforts to make it unique usually end up having the exact opposite effect.

Often, the enormous collection of slides with colorful presentation charts and graphs blows up your brain by the end of the presentation rather than arousing your interest in the data. You don’t want to be the person who puts his audience through this agonizing experience every time you fire up your laptop.

So, is there a way to jazz up your presentation with beautiful charts and graphs?

The short answer to this question is ‘Yes.’ Here are 6 ways to improve your presentation charts and graphs to effortlessly strengthen your message.

Refrain from Using Backgrounds

When it comes to decorating the graph background, you should avoid using gradients of color or varying the background color in any other way.

It not only undermines your ability to present the data unambiguously but also adds distraction. The context surrounding an object often influences our perception of it.

See the two graphs above, the grey background in the left graph doesn’t provide any information. On the contrary, it doesn’t contrast sufficiently with the object. As a result, it undermines the visibility of the objects in the graph. So, make sure the background is consistent with the slide background.

If you always use the default slide background, you should use ‘No Fill’ ‘or White’ background color as it matches the slide background.

Eliminate Redundant Labels

Why do you want to waste the space on redundant labels? Most graphs charts are quite self-explanatory. Repeated axis labels and legend are the two things that occupy the space for no reason.

In fact, they are taking up space that would be better spent on the graph. So, make sure to remove duplicate labels. The graph on the right looks better than the original graph to the left, as it is much easier to understand.

Alternatively, you can also label the bars directly. However, if you do, remove the Y-axis completely. As the exact value of each element is displayed, you don’t need to use the grid lines either.

Mind the Border Formatting

When it comes to graphs and charts, less is more. You should format the graph background to reduce the lines as far as possible while retaining the meaning of the data presented in it.

Though the default gridlines and borders are a sensible choice, they are a distraction as your audience is most likely not interested in knowing the exact figures for each data point.

If you want to display exact values, label the bars directly as discussed in the previous point. Removing the lines highlights the data and the pattern dramatically. So, remove all of the outer borders as well as grid lines as shown below.

Use Colors Meaningfully

Contrary to the popular belief, you should avoid using bright colors for presentation charts and graphs as far as possible. In fact, you should use natural colors to display general information and use the bright color only to highlight information that demands attention.

Using same colored bars on a graph makes it easier to compare the data. Use different colors only if they correspond to different elements in the data.

Sometimes, however, you can use different colors to highlight particular data or assemble different parts. In other words, you need to use colors meaningfully and with caution. The following examples will help explain the points mentioned above.

A) Using Natural Colors for Easier Comparison

B) Using Bright Colors to Pop Important Data

C) Using Different Colors to Point out Differences in Data Elements

Avoid Using Special Effects (Shadowing and Shading)

Avoid using special effects such as shadowing, shading, and 3D effects when creating presentation charts and graphs, especially for professional purposes. They just make it hard to compare the elements and confuse the reader.

You should, however, stick to presenting only essential information. So, keep it simple and avoid flashy special effects.

Text and Font

Using bold font isn’t going to make much difference in your graph. As far as possible, avoid using bold, underline or italic fonts. Keep the font size and type consistent throughout the presentation.

Avoid effects such as shading, outline, and 3D letters. Always lighten secondary data labels. The less you format the better.

Have More Tips for Creating Better Presentation Charts and Graphs?

When it comes to creating an attention-grabbing presentation , the rule of thumb is to display the data in a simple and clear way.

With the help of these 6 tried and tested tips, your presentation charts and graphs will look phenomenal without compromising your data. What about you? What tricks have you used to make your graphs look unique? Feel free to share your ideas and suggestions in the comments box below.

About the Author

Swati Kapoor is a qualified dietitian at Practo . She has a Masters degree in Dietetics and Food Service Management. She is a strong believer in spreading the goodness of ‘nutrition through healthy eating’. As a responsible dietitian, Swati examines her patients’ health history carefully before recommending any diet or workout regimen, because everybody has different requirements.

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15 Interesting Ways to Use Graphs in a Presentation [Templates Included]

Remember childhood days, when most of us hated mathematics like anything on this planet? The Pythagoras theorem, never-ending formulas of trigonometry, knot theory, and some other backbreaking algorithms. Oh! What a roller-coaster ride the mathematical equations and terms have given us! Even though attending the mathematics class was a real traumatic experience, we can’t ignore the most interesting yet important chapter- graphs . Yes, the x-axis and y-axis! Graphs are visually effective tools for displaying the relationship between numerous data points. They make complex problems much simpler and easy to understand.

From childhood to us being professionals, graphs have been of great help. In this fast-paced world, there’s not enough time for entrepreneurs to give an in-depth explanation of their financial situation or structure to the spectators. Remembering a bulk of monetary statuses and telling respective authorities about it is not at all easy. That is the reason why professionals take the help of presentations, which consists of in-built graphs and charts. To be more precise, entrepreneurs love to incorporate charts and graphs in their presentations as they are the easiest and the most flexible to showcase facts or figures. Undeniably, graphs bring out the clarity in every information that a presenter needs to convey to his audience. Therefore, using graphs in business presentations is effective. Also, there are multiple ways a graph can be used in a presentation. Here, in this blog, we will talk about 15 vivid portrayals of charts and graphs along with a few added tips. The ways are demonstrated via our professionally designed templates.

So, without any further ado, let’s see what our 15 interactive graph templates have to offer you! 

15 Graph Templates To Download and Use 

The template that has a dark color in the background is always a game-stealer. Just take a look at this attractive graph template with so many colors in it. The slide is pre-designed to tailor all your needs. You only have to edit the content. That’s it! Download this template in a single click and see how your viewers get attracted to your proposed information.

Download Combo Chart Growth Rate Finance PPT PowerPoint Presentation

This template will fulfill all your business requirements. This engaging slide is a combination of both a pie chart and a graph. In this template, you can see the graph overlapping with a pie-chart which is the best option for you to display your financial summary. The color scheme that our experts have applied in this template is so appealing. Grab this slide and start filling in your information.

Download Business Women With Column Pie Chart PowerPoint Graph

As you can see in the template given below, the colors used in the slide soothes the eyes, which is a plus point. Readers often get attracted to the presentation that has pleasing backgrounds and lucrative images. With the help of this graph template, you can show the growth of your business over the past years.

Download Business Person With Column Chart PowerPoint Graph

Take advantage of this eye-catching column chart or graph template that allows you to monitor your business statistics appropriately. This slide is attainable in excel sheets as well, which gives you the benefit of editing your data quickly. The cookie point you will receive after utilizing this template is that it comes up with ample space where you can place your companies’ logo for making the presentation more recognizable.

Download Box Plots Business Column Chart PowerPoint Graph

This visually-attractive triangular chart or graph template helps you in jotting down your revenue status so far. The psychology of colors used in this slide is really aesthetic. You can add or delete the content as per your needs. 

Download Triangular Chart For Data Driven Result Display PowerPoint Slides

The slide shown below is so colorful that it holds your audience's attention at once. You can customize the template and highlight the data that you want to share with your audience.

Download Pie Chart With Line Graph Icon

This triangular-shaped bar graph template will help you in displaying your data effectively. Also, the shape and colors this slide has will impress the viewers in one-go. The graph template allows you to segregate your data and present your information precisely. 

Download Data Driven Triangular Bar Graph PowerPoint Slides

You already have an idea of how line charts work. Using this line chart template, you can easily compare the data values over specific time intervals. The color contrast will make the comparison of your quantitative data even more visible. 

Download Line Chart For Data Analysis PowerPoint Graph

This graph template comes in soothing colors and hues that will make your data more interesting than ever. The slider bar chart template helps you in showcasing your data analytics proficiently. The slide consists of amazing fonts and styles that will add more creativity to your presentation.

Download Slider Bar Chart With Target PowerPoint Graph

Template 10

This beautifully designed butterfly graph template is here to categorize your different data. With this, you can monitor the changes occurring in each business category over the two consecutive years. And also, which section needs to be focused more. You can color the graph of yearly categories as per your choice.

Download Butterfly Bar Chart For Business Performance PowerPoint Graph

Template 11

The green tone used in this bar graph template can win your audience’s attention effortlessly. You can put this template in your presentation, and without adding many effects, you are good to present the business dynamics before the viewers.

Download Column Chart With Growth Line PowerPoint Graph

Template 12

This pastel-colored conical graph with black color in the background makes your presentation a winner. You can easily seek your audiences’ attention by visualizing every bit of data systematically.

Download Data Driven 3D Chart Shows Interrelated Sets Of Data PowerPoint Slides

Template 13

This unique patterned graph will make your complex data look simpler. Our eye-catching graph template will make your presentation extra stylish yet professional. Grab this template to input your data effectively.

Download Unique Pattern Sales Data Driven Chart PowerPoint Slides

Template 14

This amazing template that contains bar graphs and pie-chart will enable you to display your business matrix in a simpler form. The graphics present in this template do not pixelate and thus, aids you in creating the best presentation of your life.

Download Project Progress With Column And Pie Chart PowerPoint Graph

Template 15

The image shown in the template below visualizes the bar graphs along with the bulbs on top. Here, you can see the bulbs are of the same color except for the one. The highlighted bulb depicts leadership qualities. You can use this template in your presentation to portray the leadership and reputation your company has achieved over the years.

Download Light Bulb On Bar Graph With Leader On Top

The blog is not over yet! Along with the graph templates, here are some cookie points for you that will make your presentation game stronger. Learn more about how to add creativity in your graphs with the help of a few key-pointers explained below! 

• Start from selecting a graph design

Firstly, segregate your data. When you create a presentation, go to the insert option and choose a graph according to your needs. The charts or graphs are of different types. Some of them are pie-chart, histogram, bar graph, waterfall, combo graph. So, select from any of these (or others) and put it on a presentation. 

• Format the data

You can easily edit your proposed data and update it, later it can automatically be shown in your chart as well. Keep the data or facts intact. Do not clutter everything on a graph.

• Fill in some vibrant colors

To compare the data, make sure each section has different yet soothing colors in it. It will help the audience to understand the information better, and also you will be able to share your message across conveniently. 

• Animation is the key

Instead of showing graph-sections all at once, use the animation option that highlights each section after a pause. This way will grab viewers' attention instantly. Also, animated effects will emphasize the information you want to convey to the spectators.

• Drawing tools are must

By using drawing tools and different shapes & arrows, you can emphasize the particular graph-section which you think needs to be focused. 

Make a smart move in your business, create an interactive presentation, show your data & analytics through our graph templates to impress the viewers instantly. And yes, do not miss out on reading the ways explained in the blog which will definitely help in making your presentation stand out!

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Present Your Data Like a Pro

• Joel Schwartzberg

Demystify the numbers. Your audience will thank you.

While a good presentation has data, data alone doesn’t guarantee a good presentation. It’s all about how that data is presented. The quickest way to confuse your audience is by sharing too many details at once. The only data points you should share are those that significantly support your point — and ideally, one point per chart. To avoid the debacle of sheepishly translating hard-to-see numbers and labels, rehearse your presentation with colleagues sitting as far away as the actual audience would. While you’ve been working with the same chart for weeks or months, your audience will be exposed to it for mere seconds. Give them the best chance of comprehending your data by using simple, clear, and complete language to identify X and Y axes, pie pieces, bars, and other diagrammatic elements. Try to avoid abbreviations that aren’t obvious, and don’t assume labeled components on one slide will be remembered on subsequent slides. Every valuable chart or pie graph has an “Aha!” zone — a number or range of data that reveals something crucial to your point. Make sure you visually highlight the “Aha!” zone, reinforcing the moment by explaining it to your audience.

With so many ways to spin and distort information these days, a presentation needs to do more than simply share great ideas — it needs to support those ideas with credible data. That’s true whether you’re an executive pitching new business clients, a vendor selling her services, or a CEO making a case for change.

• JS Joel Schwartzberg oversees executive communications for a major national nonprofit, is a professional presentation coach, and is the author of Get to the Point! Sharpen Your Message and Make Your Words Matter and The Language of Leadership: How to Engage and Inspire Your Team . You can find him on LinkedIn and X. TheJoelTruth

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Use charts and graphs in your presentation

You can make a chart in PowerPoint or Excel. If you have lots of data to chart, create your chart in Excel , and then copy it into your presentation . This is also the best way if your data changes regularly and you want your chart to always reflect the latest numbers. In that case, when you copy and paste the chart, keep it linked to the original Excel file .

To create a simple chart from scratch in PowerPoint, click Insert > Chart and pick the chart you want.

Click Insert > Chart .

Click the chart type and then double-click the chart you want.

Tip:  For help deciding which chart is best for your data, see Available chart types .

In the worksheet that appears, replace the placeholder data with your own information.

When you’ve finished, close the worksheet.

Create an org chart in PowerPoint

Create charts in Excel

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16 Best Types of Charts and Graphs for Data Visualization [+ Guide]

Published: June 08, 2023

There are more type of charts and graphs than ever before because there's more data. In fact, the volume of data in 2025 will be almost double the data we create, capture, copy, and consume today.

This makes data visualization essential for businesses. Different types of graphs and charts can help you:

• Motivate your team to take action.
• Impress stakeholders with goal progress.
• Show your audience what you value as a business.

Data visualization builds trust and can organize diverse teams around new initiatives. Let's talk about the types of graphs and charts that you can use to grow your business.

Free Excel Graph Templates

Tired of struggling with spreadsheets? These free Microsoft Excel Graph Generator Templates can help.

• Simple, customizable graph designs.
• Data visualization tips & instructions.
• Templates for two, three, four, and five-variable graph templates.

You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

Different Types of Graphs for Data Visualization

1. bar graph.

A bar graph should be used to avoid clutter when one data label is long or if you have more than 10 items to compare.

Best Use Cases for These Types of Graphs

Bar graphs can help you compare data between different groups or to track changes over time. Bar graphs are most useful when there are big changes or to show how one group compares against other groups.

The example above compares the number of customers by business role. It makes it easy to see that there is more than twice the number of customers per role for individual contributors than any other group.

A bar graph also makes it easy to see which group of data is highest or most common.

For example, at the start of the pandemic, online businesses saw a big jump in traffic. So, if you want to look at monthly traffic for an online business, a bar graph would make it easy to see that jump.

Other use cases for bar graphs include:

• Product comparisons.
• Product usage.
• Category comparisons.
• Marketing traffic by month or year.
• Marketing conversions.

Design Best Practices for Bar Graphs

• Use consistent colors throughout the chart, selecting accent colors to highlight meaningful data points or changes over time.
• Use horizontal labels to improve readability.
• Start the y-axis at 0 to appropriately reflect the values in your graph.

2. Line Graph

A line graph reveals trends or progress over time, and you can use it to show many different categories of data. You should use it when you chart a continuous data set.

Line graphs help users track changes over short and long periods. Because of this, these types of graphs are good for seeing small changes.

Line graphs can help you compare changes for more than one group over the same period. They're also helpful for measuring how different groups relate to each other.

A business might use this graph to compare sales rates for different products or services over time.

These charts are also helpful for measuring service channel performance. For example, a line graph that tracks how many chats or emails your team responds to per month.

Design Best Practices for Line Graphs

• Use solid lines only.
• Don't plot more than four lines to avoid visual distractions.
• Use the right height so the lines take up roughly 2/3 of the y-axis' height.

3. Bullet Graph

A bullet graph reveals progress towards a goal, compares this to another measure, and provides context in the form of a rating or performance.

In the example above, the bullet graph shows the number of new customers against a set customer goal. Bullet graphs are great for comparing performance against goals like this.

These types of graphs can also help teams assess possible roadblocks because you can analyze data in a tight visual display.

For example, you could create a series of bullet graphs measuring performance against benchmarks or use a single bullet graph to visualize these KPIs against their goals:

• Customer satisfaction.
• Average order size.
• New customers.

Seeing this data at a glance and alongside each other can help teams make quick decisions.

Bullet graphs are one of the best ways to display year-over-year data analysis. You can also use bullet graphs to visualize:

• Customer satisfaction scores.
• Customer shopping habits.
• Social media usage by platform.

Design Best Practices for Bullet Graphs

• Use contrasting colors to highlight how the data is progressing.
• Use one color in different shades to gauge progress.

Different Types of Charts for Data Visualization

To better understand these chart types and how you can use them, here's an overview of each:

1. Column Chart

Use a column chart to show a comparison among different items or to show a comparison of items over time. You could use this format to see the revenue per landing page or customers by close date.

Best Use Cases for This Type of Chart

You can use both column charts and bar graphs to display changes in data, but column charts are best for negative data. The main difference, of course, is that column charts show information vertically while bar graphs show data horizontally.

For example, warehouses often track the number of accidents on the shop floor. When the number of incidents falls below the monthly average, a column chart can make that change easier to see in a presentation.

In the example above, this column chart measures the number of customers by close date. Column charts make it easy to see data changes over a period of time. This means that they have many use cases, including:

• Customer survey data, like showing how many customers prefer a specific product or how much a customer uses a product each day.
• Sales volume, like showing which services are the top sellers each month or the number of sales per week.
• Profit and loss, showing where business investments are growing or falling.

Design Best Practices for Column Charts

2. dual-axis chart.

A dual-axis chart allows you to plot data using two y-axes and a shared x-axis. It has three data sets. One is a continuous data set, and the other is better suited to grouping by category. Use this chart to visualize a correlation or the lack thereof between these three data sets.

A dual-axis chart makes it easy to see relationships between different data sets. They can also help with comparing trends.

For example, the chart above shows how many new customers this company brings in each month. It also shows how much revenue those customers are bringing the company.

This makes it simple to see the connection between the number of customers and increased revenue.

You can use dual-axis charts to compare:

• Price and volume of your products.
• Revenue and units sold.
• Sales and profit margin.
• Individual sales performance.

Design Best Practices for Dual-Axis Charts

• Use the y-axis on the left side for the primary variable because brains naturally look left first.
• Use different graphing styles to illustrate the two data sets, as illustrated above.
• Choose contrasting colors for the two data sets.

3. Area Chart

An area chart is basically a line chart, but the space between the x-axis and the line is filled with a color or pattern. It is useful for showing part-to-whole relations, like showing individual sales reps’ contributions to total sales for a year. It helps you analyze both overall and individual trend information.

Best Use Cases for These Types of Charts

Area charts help show changes over time. They work best for big differences between data sets and help visualize big trends.

For example, the chart above shows users by creation date and life cycle stage.

A line chart could show more subscribers than marketing qualified leads. But this area chart emphasizes how much bigger the number of subscribers is than any other group.

These charts make the size of a group and how groups relate to each other more visually important than data changes over time.

Area graphs can help your business to:

• Visualize which product categories or products within a category are most popular.
• Show key performance indicator (KPI) goals vs. outcomes.
• Spot and analyze industry trends.

Design Best Practices for Area Charts

• Use transparent colors so information isn't obscured in the background.
• Don't display more than four categories to avoid clutter.
• Organize highly variable data at the top of the chart to make it easy to read.

4. Stacked Bar Chart

Use this chart to compare many different items and show the composition of each item you’re comparing.

These graphs are helpful when a group starts in one column and moves to another over time.

For example, the difference between a marketing qualified lead (MQL) and a sales qualified lead (SQL) is sometimes hard to see. The chart above helps stakeholders see these two lead types from a single point of view — when a lead changes from MQL to SQL.

Stacked bar charts are excellent for marketing. They make it simple to add a lot of data on a single chart or to make a point with limited space.

These graphs can show multiple takeaways, so they're also super for quarterly meetings when you have a lot to say but not a lot of time to say it.

Stacked bar charts are also a smart option for planning or strategy meetings. This is because these charts can show a lot of information at once, but they also make it easy to focus on one stack at a time or move data as needed.

You can also use these charts to:

• Show the frequency of survey responses.
• Identify outliers in historical data.
• Compare a part of a strategy to its performance as a whole.

Design Best Practices for Stacked Bar Graphs

• Best used to illustrate part-to-whole relationships.
• Use contrasting colors for greater clarity.
• Make the chart scale large enough to view group sizes in relation to one another.

5. Mekko Chart

Also known as a Marimekko chart, this type of graph can compare values, measure each one's composition, and show data distribution across each one.

It's similar to a stacked bar, except the Mekko's x-axis can capture another dimension of your values — instead of time progression, like column charts often do. In the graphic below, the x-axis compares the cities to one another.

Image Source

You can use a Mekko chart to show growth, market share, or competitor analysis.

For example, the Mekko chart above shows the market share of asset managers grouped by location and the value of their assets. This chart clarifies which firms manage the most assets in different areas.

It's also easy to see which asset managers are the largest and how they relate to each other.

Mekko charts can seem more complex than other types of charts and graphs, so it's best to use these in situations where you want to emphasize scale or differences between groups of data.

Other use cases for Mekko charts include:

• Detailed profit and loss statements.
• Revenue by brand and region.
• Product profitability.
• Share of voice by industry or niche.

Design Best Practices for Mekko Charts

• Vary your bar heights if the portion size is an important point of comparison.
• Don't include too many composite values within each bar. Consider reevaluating your presentation if you have a lot of data.
• Order your bars from left to right in such a way that exposes a relevant trend or message.

6. Pie Chart

A pie chart shows a static number and how categories represent part of a whole — the composition of something. A pie chart represents numbers in percentages, and the total sum of all segments needs to equal 100%.

The image above shows another example of customers by role in the company.

The bar graph example shows you that there are more individual contributors than any other role. But this pie chart makes it clear that they make up over 50% of customer roles.

Pie charts make it easy to see a section in relation to the whole, so they are good for showing:

• Customer personas in relation to all customers.
• Revenue from your most popular products or product types in relation to all product sales.
• Percent of total profit from different store locations.

Design Best Practices for Pie Charts

• Don't illustrate too many categories to ensure differentiation between slices.
• Ensure that the slice values add up to 100%.
• Order slices according to their size.

7. Scatter Plot Chart

A scatter plot or scattergram chart will show the relationship between two different variables or reveal distribution trends.

Use this chart when there are many different data points, and you want to highlight similarities in the data set. This is useful when looking for outliers or understanding your data's distribution.

Scatter plots are helpful in situations where you have too much data to see a pattern quickly. They are best when you use them to show relationships between two large data sets.

In the example above, this chart shows how customer happiness relates to the time it takes for them to get a response.

This type of graph makes it easy to compare two data sets. Use cases might include:

• Employment and manufacturing output.
• Retail sales and inflation.
• Visitor numbers and outdoor temperature.
• Sales growth and tax laws.

Try to choose two data sets that already have a positive or negative relationship. That said, this type of graph can also make it easier to see data that falls outside of normal patterns.

Design Best Practices for Scatter Plots

• Include more variables, like different sizes, to incorporate more data.
• Start the y-axis at 0 to represent data accurately.
• If you use trend lines, only use a maximum of two to make your plot easy to understand.

8. Bubble Chart

A bubble chart is similar to a scatter plot in that it can show distribution or relationship. There is a third data set shown by the size of the bubble or circle.

In the example above, the number of hours spent online isn't just compared to the user's age, as it would be on a scatter plot chart.

Instead, you can also see how the gender of the user impacts time spent online.

This makes bubble charts useful for seeing the rise or fall of trends over time. It also lets you add another option when you're trying to understand relationships between different segments or categories.

For example, if you want to launch a new product, this chart could help you quickly see your new product's cost, risk, and value. This can help you focus your energies on a low-risk new product with a high potential return.

You can also use bubble charts for:

• Top sales by month and location.
• Customer satisfaction surveys.
• Store performance tracking.
• Marketing campaign reviews.

Design Best Practices for Bubble Charts

• Scale bubbles according to area, not diameter.
• Make sure labels are clear and visible.
• Use circular shapes only.

9. Waterfall Chart

Use a waterfall chart to show how an initial value changes with intermediate values — either positive or negative — and results in a final value.

Use this chart to reveal the composition of a number. An example of this would be to showcase how different departments influence overall company revenue and lead to a specific profit number.

The most common use case for a funnel chart is the marketing or sales funnel. But there are many other ways to use this versatile chart.

If you have at least four stages of sequential data, this chart can help you easily see what inputs or outputs impact the final results.

For example, a funnel chart can help you see how to improve your buyer journey or shopping cart workflow. This is because it can help pinpoint major drop-off points.

Other stellar options for these types of charts include:

• Deal pipelines.
• Conversion and retention analysis.
• Bottlenecks in manufacturing and other multi-step processes.
• Marketing campaign performance.
• Website conversion tracking.

Design Best Practices for Funnel Charts

• Scale the size of each section to accurately reflect the size of the data set.
• Use contrasting colors or one color in graduated hues, from darkest to lightest, as the size of the funnel decreases.

11. Heat Map

A heat map shows the relationship between two items and provides rating information, such as high to low or poor to excellent. This chart displays the rating information using varying colors or saturation.

Best Use Cases for Heat Maps

In the example above, the darker the shade of green shows where the majority of people agree.

With enough data, heat maps can make a viewpoint that might seem subjective more concrete. This makes it easier for a business to act on customer sentiment.

There are many uses for these types of charts. In fact, many tech companies use heat map tools to gauge user experience for apps, online tools, and website design .

Another common use for heat map graphs is location assessment. If you're trying to find the right location for your new store, these maps can give you an idea of what the area is like in ways that a visit can't communicate.

Heat maps can also help with spotting patterns, so they're good for analyzing trends that change quickly, like ad conversions. They can also help with:

• Competitor research.
• Customer sentiment.
• Sales outreach.
• Campaign impact.
• Customer demographics.

Design Best Practices for Heat Map

• Use a basic and clear map outline to avoid distracting from the data.
• Use a single color in varying shades to show changes in data.
• Avoid using multiple patterns.

12. Gantt Chart

The Gantt chart is a horizontal chart that dates back to 1917. This chart maps the different tasks completed over a period of time.

Gantt charting is one of the most essential tools for project managers. It brings all the completed and uncompleted tasks into one place and tracks the progress of each.

While the left side of the chart displays all the tasks, the right side shows the progress and schedule for each of these tasks.

This chart type allows you to:

• Break projects into tasks.
• Track the start and end of the tasks.
• Set important events, meetings, and announcements.
• Assign tasks to the team and individuals.

Download the Excel templates mentioned in the video here.

5 Questions to Ask When Deciding Which Type of Chart to Use

1. do you want to compare values.

Charts and graphs are perfect for comparing one or many value sets, and they can easily show the low and high values in the data sets. To create a comparison chart, use these types of graphs:

• Scatter plot

2. Do you want to show the composition of something?

Use this type of chart to show how individual parts make up the whole of something, like the device type used for mobile visitors to your website or total sales broken down by sales rep.

To show composition, use these charts:

• Stacked bar

3. Do you want to understand the distribution of your data?

Distribution charts help you to understand outliers, the normal tendency, and the range of information in your values.

Use these charts to show distribution:

4. Are you interested in analyzing trends in your data set?

If you want more information about how a data set performed during a specific time, there are specific chart types that do extremely well.

You should choose one of the following:

• Dual-axis line

5. Do you want to better understand the relationship between value sets?

Relationship charts can show how one variable relates to one or many different variables. You could use this to show how something positively affects, has no effect, or negatively affects another variable.

When trying to establish the relationship between things, use these charts:

Featured Resource: The Marketer's Guide to Data Visualization

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FAQs About Chart & Graph Presentation Templates

What are chart & graph presentation templates.

Chart & Graph Presentation Templates are pre-designed layouts for visualizing data and information in a presentation setting. They are customized to depict different types of data structures, such as bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, etc., in a clear, professional, and attractive manner.

These templates can range from stylized to basic, depending on your needs. They can be edited to suit your specific data and presentation style, offering a streamlined way to organized data for presentations, reports, and projects.

Where can I find Chart & Graph Presentation Templates?

There are many online platforms that offer a variety of Chart & Graph Presentation Templates. Sites like Microsoft Office, Canva, and SlidesGo offer many options to choose from. Some of these platforms allow individuals to have access to a certain number of free templates while others may charge for premium designs.

Most of these websites require a user account for download and editing purposes. Once you've signed up, you can browse multiple categories and choose the templates that best fit your presentation needs.

Can I customize Chart & Graph Presentation Templates?

Yes, one of the key features of Chart & Graph Presentation Templates is that they are customizable. You can insert your own data, adjust colors, text sizes, fonts, and other visual elements to match your presentation's overall theme or your company's branding.

The ability to customize these templates allows for flexibility and personalization, which can help your charts and graphs stand out and effectively deliver your message.

Are there different types of Chart & Graph Presentation Templates?

Yes, there are numerous types of Chart & Graph Presentation Templates available. They can vary greatly depending on the data or information you want to represent. For example, there are templates specifically designed for line graphs, bar graphs, pie charts, scatter plots, histogram, or combination charts, among others.

There are also different styles available, ranging from minimalistic and professional to vibrant and creative templates. This allows you to choose templates that match the tone and nature of your presentation.

Why should I use Chart & Graph Presentation Templates?

Chart & Graph Presentation Templates can help you save a significant amount of time when trying to visually represent data or information. Instead of creating a chart from scratch, you can use these templates and simply input your data. These tools make the creation of complex charts much more accessible.

Additionally, these templates are designed by professionals and can add a polished look to your presentation. This can leave a better impression on your audience and help them better understand the data you are presenting.

• Graphic Presentation of Data

Apart from diagrams, Graphic presentation is another way of the presentation of data and information. Usually, graphs are used to present time series and frequency distributions. In this article, we will look at the graphic presentation of data and information along with its merits, limitations , and types.

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Construction of a graph.

The graphic presentation of data and information offers a quick and simple way of understanding the features and drawing comparisons. Further, it is an effective analytical tool and a graph can help us in finding the mode, median, etc.

We can locate a point in a plane using two mutually perpendicular lines – the X-axis (the horizontal line) and the Y-axis (the vertical line). Their point of intersection is the Origin .

We can locate the position of a point in terms of its distance from both these axes. For example, if a point P is 3 units away from the Y-axis and 5 units away from the X-axis, then its location is as follows:

Browse more Topics under Descriptive Statistics

• Definition and Characteristics of Statistics
• Stages of Statistical Enquiry
• Importance and Functions of Statistics
• Nature of Statistics – Science or Art?
• Application of Statistics
• Law of Statistics and Distrust of Statistics
• Meaning and Types of Data
• Methods of Collecting Data
• Sample Investigation
• Classification of Data
• Tabulation of Data
• Frequency Distribution of Data
• Diagrammatic Presentation of Data
• Measures of Central Tendency
• Mean Median Mode
• Measures of Dispersion
• Standard Deviation
• Variance Analysis

Some points to remember:

• We measure the distance of the point from the Y-axis along the X-axis. Similarly, we measure the distance of the point from the X-axis along the Y-axis. Therefore, to measure 3 units from the Y-axis, we move 3 units along the X-axis and likewise for the other coordinate .
• We then draw perpendicular lines from these two points.
• The point where the perpendiculars intersect is the position of the point P.
• We denote it as follows (3,5) or (abscissa, ordinate). Together, they are the coordinates of the point P.
• The four parts of the plane are Quadrants.
• Also, we can plot different points for a different pair of values.

General Rules for Graphic Presentation of Data and Information

There are certain guidelines for an attractive and effective graphic presentation of data and information. These are as follows:

• Suitable Title – Ensure that you give a suitable title to the graph which clearly indicates the subject for which you are presenting it.
• Unit of Measurement – Clearly state the unit of measurement below the title.
• Suitable Scale – Choose a suitable scale so that you can represent the entire data in an accurate manner.
• Index – Include a brief index which explains the different colors and shades, lines and designs that you have used in the graph. Also, include a scale of interpretation for better understanding.
• Data Sources – Wherever possible, include the sources of information at the bottom of the graph.
• Keep it Simple – You should construct a graph which even a layman (without any exposure in the areas of statistics or mathematics) can understand.
• Neat – A graph is a visual aid for the presentation of data and information. Therefore, you must keep it neat and attractive. Choose the right size, right lettering, and appropriate lines, colors, dashes, etc.

Merits of a Graph

• The graph presents data in a manner which is easier to understand.
• It allows us to present statistical data in an attractive manner as compared to tables. Users can understand the main features, trends, and fluctuations of the data at a glance.
• A graph saves time.
• It allows the viewer to compare data relating to two different time-periods or regions.
• The viewer does not require prior knowledge of mathematics or statistics to understand a graph.
• We can use a graph to locate the mode, median, and mean values of the data.
• It is useful in forecasting, interpolation, and extrapolation of data.

Limitations of a Graph

• A graph lacks complete accuracy of facts.
• It depicts only a few selected characteristics of the data.
• We cannot use a graph in support of a statement.
• A graph is not a substitute for tables.
• Usually, laymen find it difficult to understand and interpret a graph.
• Typically, a graph shows the unreasonable tendency of the data and the actual values are not clear.

Types of Graphs

Graphs are of two types:

• Time Series graphs
• Frequency Distribution graphs

Time Series Graphs

A time series graph or a “ histogram ” is a graph which depicts the value of a variable over a different point of time. In a time series graph, time is the most important factor and the variable is related to time. It helps in the understanding and analysis of the changes in the variable at a different point of time. Many statisticians and businessmen use these graphs because they are easy to understand and also because they offer complex information in a simple manner.

Further, constructing a time series graph does not require a user with technical skills. Here are some major steps in the construction of a time series graph:

• Represent time on the X-axis and the value of the variable on the Y-axis.
• Start the Y-value with zero and devise a suitable scale which helps you present the whole data in the given space.
• Plot the values of the variable and join different point with a straight line.
• You can plot multiple variables through different lines.

You can use a line graph to summarize how two pieces of information are related and how they vary with each other.

• You can compare multiple continuous data-sets easily
• You can infer the interim data from the graph line

Disadvantages

• It is only used with continuous data.

Use of a false Base Line

Usually, in a graph, the vertical line starts from the Origin. However, in some cases, a false Base Line is used for a better representation of the data. There are two scenarios where you should use a false Base Line:

• To magnify the minor fluctuation in the time series data
• To economize the space

Net Balance Graph

If you have to show the net balance of income and expenditure or revenue and costs or imports and exports, etc., then you must use a net balance graph. You can use different colors or shades for positive and negative differences.

Frequency Distribution Graphs

Let’s look at the different types of frequency distribution graphs.

A histogram is a graph of a grouped frequency distribution. In a histogram, we plot the class intervals on the X-axis and their respective frequencies on the Y-axis. Further, we create a rectangle on each class interval with its height proportional to the frequency density of the class.

Frequency Polygon or Histograph

A frequency polygon or a Histograph is another way of representing a frequency distribution on a graph. You draw a frequency polygon by joining the midpoints of the upper widths of the adjacent rectangles of the histogram with straight lines.

Frequency Curve

When you join the verticals of a polygon using a smooth curve, then the resulting figure is a Frequency Curve. As the number of observations increase, we need to accommodate more classes. Therefore, the width of each class reduces. In such a scenario, the variable tends to become continuous and the frequency polygon starts taking the shape of a frequency curve.

Cumulative Frequency Curve or Ogive

A cumulative frequency curve or Ogive is the graphical representation of a cumulative frequency distribution. Since a cumulative frequency is either of a ‘less than’ or a ‘more than’ type, Ogives are of two types too – ‘less than ogive’ and ‘more than ogive’.

Scatter Diagram

A scatter diagram or a dot chart enables us to find the nature of the relationship between the variables. If the plotted points are scattered a lot, then the relationship between the two variables is lesser.

Solved Question

Q1. What are the general rules for the graphic presentation of data and information?

Answer: The general rules for the graphic presentation of data are:

• Use a suitable title
• Clearly specify the unit of measurement
• Ensure that you choose a suitable scale
• Provide an index specifying the colors, lines, and designs used in the graph
• If possible, provide the sources of information at the bottom of the graph
• Keep the graph simple and neat.

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Reflecting on 30 Years of Warcraft - Blizzard Reveals Subscriber Trends at GDC

Comment by otom.

TBC and Wrath did absolutely nothing according to these charts?

Comment by Solovrinne

TBC and Wrath did absolutely nothing according to these charts? Or the users playing retail were so low that TBC/Wrath was the only thing keeping subscriber counts from dropping even lower.

Comment by Steehl

TBC and Wrath did absolutely nothing according to these charts? I think it's just how the graph is laid out vs the images above. The little bump mid 2021 is TBC Classic's release date, and then WotLK Classic was a mere 2 months before Dragonflight's launch, so you could attribute part of the ramp up into Dragonflight as part of WotLK Classic's effect

Comment by Aristophane

Graph is already out of date, after blunderstorm the sub numbers are going back to late Shadowlands numbers

Comment by Poetthepriest

Been playing Warcraft games since the late 90s. The Korthia patch was the closest to a "WoW killer" that I have ever seen. It was Game of Thrones Season 8 in that it wasn't just a bad quality product in itself, it went further and actively made you feel worse about the content that came before. You can't watch Game of Thrones Season 1 now without feeling worse because now you know what comes later. Of course, the above could be said about Shadowlands in general. But Korthia was the lowest point. And it happened around the time that all the allegations about harassment among Blizz employees became big news, too. People simple got it through their heads that the Blizzard they knew and loved is gone, and it had been replaced by something cynical and exploitative, or worse.

Comment by Rasaric

They diminished more than just specific characters. They destroyed an entire playable race. If they want to fix the setting, the first thing they need to do is put Sylvanas back in charge of the Forsaken as the Banshee Queen so a playable race that's been in the game since Vanilla can have their identity back.

Comment by Soulebreaker

Sad to see that TBC Classic didn't perform well. That was my favorite expac. But it is good to see WoW doing well overall.

Comment by Wowvocate

TLDR: Shadowlands really was that bad.

Comment by keratheen

Graph is already out of date, after blunderstorm the sub numbers are going back to late Shadowlands numbers nice try for funny joke

They diminished more than just specific characters. They destroyed an entire playable race. If they want to fix the setting, the first thing they need to do is put Sylvanas back in charge of the Forsaken as the Banshee Queen so a playable race that's been in the game since Vanilla can have their identity back. HUH?

Comment by SinR

I'm glad they acknowledged they ^&*!ed up with Jailer from a story perspective. The lead up being Sylvanas' heel turn, tearing the barrier between the Mortal Plane and the Shadowlands asunder... All so some dude that just showed up out of nowhere, that's supposedly been pulling the strings from THE VERY VERY VERY BEGINNING OF WARCRAFT LORE... can try to unite the cosmos against this bigger bad guy that's supposedly coming.

They diminished more than just specific characters. They destroyed an entire playable race. If they want to fix the setting, the first thing they need to do is put Sylvanas back in charge of the Forsaken as the Banshee Queen so a playable race that's been in the game since Vanilla can have their identity back. HUH? TL;DR "i miss my Waifu"

Comment by TwoTastyTicTacs

Graph is already out of date, after blunderstorm the sub numbers are going back to late Shadowlands numbers lol, nothing kills a game like salty comments.. been peppering wow with them for nearly 20 years

Comment by Caerule

Honestly I'm very glad to see a lot of those points laid out. Especially about the Jailer being a complete husk of a character, in so many ways.

Comment by MaximusPM

I liked SL.

Comment by CrusaderNINE

They diminished more than just specific characters. They destroyed an entire playable race. If they want to fix the setting, the first thing they need to do is put Sylvanas back in charge of the Forsaken as the Banshee Queen so a playable race that's been in the game since Vanilla can have their identity back. HUH? TL;DR "i miss my Waifu" She IS my waifu and I DO miss her.

Graph is already out of date, after blunderstorm the sub numbers are going back to late Shadowlands numbers Even if you hate the Plunderstorm event experiment, it's important to realize it's Bonus Content . The Content Dead Zone would normally be now. Sometimes there could be a year of no new content whatsoever, as we await the next expansion. If you think giving us nothing to do would be better for the subscriber numbers than giving optional content not everyone is a fan of, I just can't grasp your reasoning.

Comment by WolfQueen

They diminished more than just specific characters. They destroyed an entire playable race. If they want to fix the setting, the first thing they need to do is put Sylvanas back in charge of the Forsaken as the Banshee Queen so a playable race that's been in the game since Vanilla can have their identity back. HUH? The nonsense with Telrassil is my assumption. Nearly killing off Nelves and trying to paint the for Forsaken wholly as "misunderstood". Tyrande and Malfurion should've been able to kill Sylvanas and put her body up for display, but no they had to give her some sort of bull "redemption story" while making the Alliance/Light out to be the baddies. 🙄 (And don't get me started on the Zovaal drivel.) WoW needs better storytelling and the original grimdark theme back.

Comment by Naturalna

Sad to see that TBC Classic didn't perform well. That was my favorite expac. But it is good to see WoW doing well overall. Maybe it did, maybe the retail tanked and only TBC held it up...

Comment by maslinastocrvena

I'd love to know what portion of players is around, like me, only due to sunk-cost fallacy