Phase 3: Data Visualization · ~25 minutes · Python · matplotlib · seaborn

Choosing the Right Chart

A bar chart tells your eyes 'these are separate, unrelated categories' whether or not that's true — plot a continuous trend that way and the chart itself is quietly lying.

Hiring signal: Chooses a chart type by starting from the data's actual shape, and can name specifically what a mismatched chart type visually misrepresents

What you will learn

Classify a dataset's shape as one numeric, two numeric, categorical+numeric, or part-to-whole
Choose an appropriate chart type starting from data shape rather than a desired message
Explain what a bar chart visually implies that a line chart doesn't, for continuous time data
Judge whether a given chart type fits a given question

Introduction

Type: Learn Languages: Python, matplotlib, seaborn Prerequisites: Lesson 02 (Seaborn for Statistical Plots) Time: ~25 minutes

Objective

Learning objectives

Classify a dataset's shape as one numeric, two numeric, categorical+numeric, or part-to-whole
Choose an appropriate chart type starting from data shape rather than a desired message
Explain what a bar chart visually implies that a line chart doesn't, for continuous time data
Judge whether a given chart type fits a given question

Unlock the full lesson

You've read the first 2 sections. The rest of this lesson covers The Problem, The Concept, Build, Key Terms & Next — plus a hands-on lab, quiz, and project artifact.

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