Creating Charts & Graphs

• Select the fields that should be used for your chart.

• Apply filters at the top of each column:

  • For text fields, choose from a dropdown list.

  • For numeric fields, use a slider.

• Adjust aggregations: Sum, Average, Min, Max, etc.

• General: Title, subtitle, legend visibility

• Axes: Axis titles, show/hide gridlines

• Tooltip: Enable or disable on-hover tooltips

• Series: Toggle data labels on or off

Use plain English to request:

• Column or chart type changes

• Axis label updates

• Specific color themes or highlights

• Legend positioning

• Tooltip visibility

On the right, you’ll see your changes applied in real-time.

Additional options are available:

• Chart types available: Select the icon for the chart type you need (Bar, Line, Pie, Scatterplot, KPI (Scorecard), etc.)

• Dropdown options: Update the chart category, breakdown, and numerical series to be plotted

• Save Chart: Your changes will be saved to the current chart or pinboard item.

• Cancel: Discards all edits from this session.

What is it and when to use it?

• A bar chart displays data using rectangular bars to compare values across categories. Bar charts are best used for comparing discrete categories or groups, showing rankings, illustrating frequency distributions, or otherwise visualizing non-continuous data. Use a bar chart to compare groups, such as the count of students by department or the average score by term.

How to build it?

1. Once you have your data results, open the Chart Builder (click the gear icon).

2. On the data tab, select the data you want to visualize:

   • Category = the grouping dimension (e.g., Department, Grade Level)

   • Breakdown (optional) = a second grouping (e.g., Gender)

   • Series = the numeric value (e.g., Average Score, Count of Students)

3. On the right, choose the Bar Chart icon from the chart type options.

4. Additional optional steps to refine your chart:

   1. Use the Data tab to apply filters to the chart or apply a category order

   2. Use the Data tab to adjust the aggregation of the series (Sum, Min, Max, Mean, etc.).

   3. Use the Customize tab to change the chart title, axis labels, legend, and tooltips

5. Click Save Chart to apply your changes.

Best Practices

1. Limit the number of bars to increase readability–stick to 10 or fewer categories.

2. Sort bars logically (ascending or descending order) to make comparisons easier.

What is it and when to use it?

• A pie chart shows the parts of a whole, divided into slices. Pie charts are best used to visualize data where you want to show the proportions or percentages of parts within a whole, especially when the whole is divided into a small number of categories, and are helpful for highlighting which parts contribute the most to the total. Use a pie chart to show proportions, like how enrollment is distributed across programs.

How to build it?

1. Once you have your data results, open the Chart Builder (click the gear icon).

2. On the data tab, select the data you want to visualize:

   • Category = the grouping dimension (e.g., Department, Grade Level)

   • Series = the numeric value to summarize (e.g., Count of Students)

   • Pie Charts do not use a breakdown or multiple series — they’re best for single-category summaries

   • Note, Pie Charts represent data as percentages of the whole

3. On the right, choose the Pie Chart icon from the chart type options.

4. Additional optional steps to refine your chart:

   1. Use the Data tab to apply filters to the chart

   2. Use the Data tab to adjust the aggregation of the series (Sum, Min, Max, Mean, etc.)

   3. Use the Customize tab to change the chart title, axis labels, legend, tooltips, and Pie Chart specific configurations including the inner size (for donut chart), the start angle, and the end angle

5. Click Save Chart to apply your changes.

Best Practices

1. Use pie charts when showing parts of a whole—avoid if your values don’t (or shouldn't) add up to 100%.

2. Limit the number of slices to 3-5 to maintain clarity and readability.

What is it and when to use it?

• A line graph connects points to show changes over time or continuous data. A line graph is best used to visualize data that changes over time, or with another continuous variable, and is effective for showing trends, comparing multiple data series, and highlighting changes in values over time. Use a line graph to visualize trends in your institution, such as student FTE growth or average student performance over time.

How to build it?

1. Once you have your data results, open the Chart Builder (click the gear icon).

2. On the data tab, select the data you want to visualize:

   • Category = the time-based dimension (e.g., months, terms, start dates, weeks, other date fields)

   • Breakdown (optional) = subgroups to be compared (e.g., schools, programs, etc.)

   • Series = the numeric value to visualize over time (e.g., Count of Students)

3. On the right, choose the Line Graph icon from the chart type options.

4. Additional optional steps to refine your chart:

   1. Use the Data tab to apply filters to the chart

   2. Use the Data tab to adjust the aggregation of the series (Sum, Min, Max, Mean, etc.)

   3. Use the Customize tab to change the chart title, axis labels, legend, and tooltips

5. Click Save Chart to apply your changes.

Best Practices

1. Use a time-based field for the x-axis to preserve and accurately represent the flow of data.

2. Limit the number of breakdowns to 2-4 groups to keep trends clear.

What is it and when to use it?

• A scatter plot shows the relationship between two numeric variables. Scatter Plots help identify correlations (positive, negative, or none) and patterns in data between two variables. It's a good choice when you want to see how changes in one variable might relate to changes in another. Use a scatter plot to explore correlations in your data, like time spent vs. assessment score, or student FTE vs. faculty FTE by program.

How to build it?

1. Once you have your data results, open the Chart Builder (click the gear icon).

2. On the data tab, select the data you want to visualize:

   • X-axis = one numeric field (e.g., Time in LMS)

   • Y-axis = another numeric field (e.g., Assessment Score)

   • (Optional) Breakdown = group by (e.g., Cohort), which will change the shape of the scatter plot points

3. On the right, choose the Scatter Plot Graph icon from the chart type options.

4. Additional optional steps to refine your chart:

   1. Use the Data tab to apply filters to the chart

   2. Use the Data tab to adjust the aggregation of the series (Sum, Min, Max, Mean, etc.)

   3. Use the Customize tab to change the chart title, axis labels, legend, and tooltips

5. Click Save Chart to apply your changes.

Best Practices

1. Filter your data to reduce clutter if too many points overlap (for instance, filter on your breakdown field).

2. Choose data that is formatted correctly and which may have a relation

3. When interpreting results for correlation, remember that correlation does not imply causation.

What is it and when to use it?

• A KPI (Key Performance Indicator) or Scorecard Chart displays a single metric as a bold value. The KPI Chart should be used when you need a clear, concise visual representation of a specific data point, and is helpful for monitoring primary goals and indicators. Use it to highlight a key number, like total enrollments, average GPA, or percent completion.

How to build it?

1. Once you have your data results, open the Chart Builder (click the gear icon).

2. On the data tab, select the data you want to visualize:

   • Series = the numeric value to visualize over time (e.g., Count of Students)

   • KPI Charts support only 1 column selection

3. On the right, choose the Scatter Plot Graph icon from the chart type options.

4. Click Save Chart to apply your changes.

Best Practices

1. Pair with contextual charts on a pinboard to provide supporting detail if needed.

2. Provide additional context with a Pinboard Text Widget to clarify any unclear details about the KPI.