A clustered bar chart displays more than one data series in clustered horizontal columns. Each data series shares the same axis labels, so horizontal bars are grouped by category. Clustered bars allow the direct comparison of multiple series in a given category, but it's more difficult for the human eye to compare the same data series across categories.
Like clustered column charts, clustered bar charts become visually complex as the number of categories or data series increase. They work best in situations where data points are limited.
Pros
- Allow direct comparison of multiple data series per category
- Can show change over time
Cons
- More difficult to compare a single series across categories
- Become visually complex as categories or series are added
Tips
- Limit data series and categories
- Avoid all 3d variants
Chart Examples
Product mix this year vs last year
Bar charts are great for comparing things, because it's easy to see how bar lengths differ. This chart is an example of a clustered bar chart showing product units sold this year versus last year. The data used for this chart looks like this on the worksheet:
...Read more
