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Home > Blog > Data Visualization > Add-ons > Microsoft Excel >

Top 5 Creative Data Visualization Examples for Data Analysis

Data is beautiful.

Why?

It can easily inspire, improve, and bring out the best in your audience. Also, we create a lot of it. While the exact number varies, it’s estimated that the world generated a whopping 60 zettabytes of data in 2021 alone.

creative data visualizations

With so much data flying around, it’s not surprising that visualization has become such a significant skill to have.

As businesses and governments strive to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge, visualization is increasingly becoming invaluable.

And a key part of the aforementioned includes creative data visualization charts, such as the following:

  1. Sankey Diagram
  2. Radar Chart
  3. Pareto Chart
  4. Progress Chart
  5. Likert Scale Chart

Visualizing data using creative charts and graphs can help you spot new insights, carry out high-level analyses and communicate new findings clearly.

Excel lacks creative data visualization charts (highlighted above). You can supercharge the spreadsheet app by installing a particular add-in to access ready-made creative visualization graphs.

We’ll talk about the add-in in detail throughout the blog. You don’t want to miss this.

In this blog, you’ll learn:

  • The top 5 creative data visualizations for your stories.
  • What is creative visualization?
  • Creative data visualization ideas for better results.
  • Top 5 creative data visualization examples you must know.
  • How to analyze data with creative data visualizations?
  • Also, we’ll recommend the tested and proven add-in to install in your Excel to access creative data charts, such as Likert.

Top 5 Creative Data Visualization Examples

Before jumping right into the blog’s heart, we’ll address the following question: what is creative visualization?

What is Creative Data Visualization?

Creative data Visualization or charts are visual illustrations you can use to display insights into your raw data.

A graph is a visual representation in which raw data is displayed using:

  • Bars in a bar chart
  • Lines in a line chart
  • Slices in a pie chart, etc.

Creative data visualization charts organize and represent data as digestible insights. Besides, they ease understanding of bulky and raw data. Your audience can interpret charts, graphs, and maps faster than tables.

In the coming section, we’ll take you through creative data visualization ideas for better results.

Creative Data Visualization Ideas for Better Results

Follow the tips below religiously for guaranteed results.

  • Ensure Your Data is Clean

Before analyzing your data using creative data visualization charts, such as Sankey and Pareto Diagrams, ensure it’s clean.

Data cleaning entails filtering errors and anomalies. The aforementioned process is critical to increasing the reliability of the resulting insights.

  • Use Audience-Specific Charts

Before selecting a chart, you’ve got to account for the needs and interests of your audience. The aforementioned can take your data story from zero to hero.

  • Use Creative Data Visualization Charts

Choosing the wrong visualization design can distort the resulting insights.

Use the following charts to create compelling data stories for your audience:

  1. Sankey Diagram
  2. Radar Chart
  3. Pareto Chart
  4. Progress Chart
  5. Likert Scale Chart

In the coming section, we’ll take you through the top 5 creative data visualization examples you must know.

Top 5 Creative Data Visualization Examples You Must Know

  • Sankey Chart

Sankey Diagram is one of the creative data visualization charts that’s tested and proven in visualizing:

  • Flow of material
  • Flow of energy
  • Cost breakdowns
  • Flow of funds
  • Analyzing cash flow

The creative data visualization graph draws your audience’s attention to the significant flows. Besides, it uses color to emphasize the key insights.

Sankey Diagram leverages links that are proportional to the metric under study.

You can use Sankey Chart as

  • Customer Journey Visualization
  • Funds Flow Diagram
  • Cash Flow Diagram
  • Hierarchical Data Visualization

Check out the table below. Can you provide a reliable data story to your audience?

Income Budget Expense Mean Spent On Spending
Simon Budget Budget Expenses Auto Charity 100
Simon Budget Budget Expenses Mortgages on 2 Houses 2250
Simon Budget Budget Expenses Dining Out and Groceries 1358
Simon Budget Budget Expenses Property Taxes 2 Houses 1010
Simon Budget Budget Expenses Utilities & House Cleaning 952
His Wife Budget Budget Expenses Parking and Car Expenses 689
His Wife Budget Budget Expenses Life Ins and Child Care 491
His Wife Budget Budget Expenses Life Insurance and House 304
His Wife Budget Account Leftover 3800
His Wife Budget Saving and Retirement Dividend Reinvestment 500
Passive Budget Saving and Retirement Automatic Cash Savings 1900
Passive Budget Saving and Retirement Retirement 1191
Passive Budget Saving and Retirement HSA 360
Passive Budget Saving and Retirement Deferred Compensation 300
Passive Budget Saving and Retirement I-Bond 100

Note the difference after visualizing the table above. For instance, passive cash accounts for 25% of the overall income earned by Simon’s household.

sankey chart in creative data visualizations
  • Radar Chart

A Radar Chart is a two-dimensional graph you can use to visualize data.

You can use the visualization design to display insights into two or more key insights. Besides, it’s best suited for displaying relationships between key variables in data.

Other common monikers of the chart include:

  • Spider Chart
  • Polar Chart
  • Web Chart
  • Star Plot Chart

Check out the table below. Can you tell what’s going on?

Product Month Orders
TV Jan 80
TV Feb 65
TV Mar 75
TV Apr 80
TV May 90
TV Jun 85
TV Jul 65
TV Aug 70
TV Sep 80
TV Oct 93
TV Nov 99
TV Dec 80
Smart Phones Jan 100
Smart Phones Feb 60
Smart Phones Mar 95
Smart Phones Apr 75
Smart Phones May 100
Smart Phones Jun 60
Smart Phones Jul 95
Smart Phones Aug 75
Smart Phones Sep 109
Smart Phones Oct 80
Smart Phones Nov 109
Smart Phones Dec 75
Computers Jan 50
Computers Feb 55
Computers Mar 51
Computers Apr 40
Computers May 45
Computers Jun 30
Computers Jul 39
Computers Aug 45
Computers Sep 56
Computers Oct 39
Computers Nov 48
Computers Dec 44

Note the difference after visualizing the data above. The chart below shows the individual performances of television (TVs), smartphones, and computers.

radar chart in creative data visualizations
  • Pareto Chart

A Pareto Chart is a visualization design that comprises bars and a line to display insights following the 80/20 rule.

The 80/20 rule is based on the rationale that 80% of the problems are caused by 20% of variables.

Data points are displayed in descending order using bars. And the cumulative frequency total is depicted using a line. On the other hand, the left vertical axis shows the frequency of occurrence or any other key metric under study.

The key goal of the Pareto Diagram is to highlight the significant variables driving massive change. You can use the graph to identify the defects that require significant and urgent intervention.

Check out the table below. Can you tell what’s going on?

Issues Count
Installation 36
Software Fault 18
Shipping 14
Configuration 9
Hardware Fault 7
Connectivity 4
Other 3

Note the difference after visualizing the data above. Shipping, software faults, and installation account for 80% of the issues facing the project under study.

pareto chart in creative data visualizations
  • Progress Bar Chart

A Progress Bar Chart is one of the creative data graphs you can use to show the progress made in a project.

Use the visualization design to track your project objectives for actionable insights. The Progress Bar Visualization uses green bars to show the growth of the key data points. Also, it has red bars, which stand for the decline.

Check out the table below. Can you provide a reliable data story to your audience?

Items Current Previous
Mobile 90 20
Laptop 80 20
Modem 70 30
Monitors 60 40
Laptop Batteries 50 50
Headsets 46 54
Hand Free 33 67
Mobile Batteries 30 70
Tablet 10 90

Note the difference after visualizing the data.

progress bar chart in creative data visualizations
  • Likert Scale Chart

A Likert Scale Graph is one of the creative data visualization charts that has a psychometric scale for displaying insights into questionnaire data.

You can leverage the chart to display insights into the responses gathered during a survey exercise. The chart is named after Rensis Likert, a psychologist.

Look at the survey data from a questionnaire. What are the key takeaways?

Questions Rating Responses
I enjoy my work. 1 200
I enjoy my work. 2 105
I enjoy my work. 3 177
I enjoy my work. 4 140
I enjoy my work. 5 78
My manager values my feedback. 1 82
My manager values my feedback. 2 105
My manager values my feedback. 3 178
My manager values my feedback. 4 136
My manager values my feedback. 5 168
I can communicate openly. 1 180
I can communicate openly. 2 110
I can communicate openly. 3 135
I can communicate openly. 4 174
I can communicate openly. 5 135
The work is distributed evenly in the team. 1 190
The work is distributed evenly in the team. 2 175
The work is distributed evenly in the team. 3 75
The work is distributed evenly in the team. 4 184
The work is distributed evenly in the team. 5 54

Check out the final chart below graphing the survey results.

You can easily provide key insights into the data above. For instance, the overall satisfaction level is 2.9/5, which is abysmal.

likert scale chart in creative data visualizations

In the coming section, we’ll take you through how to analyze data with creative data visualizations.

How to Analyze Data with Creative Data Visualizations?

Excel is one of the most-used visualization instruments. However, the spreadsheet application lacks ready-made creative data visualization charts, such as Radar and Sankey Diagrams.

We’re not advising you to do away with Excel in favor of other expensive tools.

And this is because there’s an amazingly affordable visualization tool that comes as an add-in you can easily install in Excel to access insightful and ready-to-go creative data charts. The tool is called ChartExpo.

So, what is ChartExpo?

ChartExpo is an add-in you can easily install in your Excel without needing tutorials.

With many ready-to-go and insightful excel charts, graphs, and maps, the ChartExpo turns your complex, raw data into easy-to-interpret and visually appealing creative data visualization that tells data stories in real time.

More benefits

  • ChartExpo is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) product, which makes it extremely light. You have a 100% guarantee that your Excel won’t be slowed down.
  • You can export your charts in JPEG, PDF, SVG, and PNG formats.
  • ChartExpo add-in is only $10 a month after the end of the trial period.

Example

This section will use a Radar Graph (one of the top 5 creative data visualization charts) to display insights into the tabular data below:

Product Month Orders
TV Jan 80
TV Feb 65
TV Mar 75
TV Apr 80
TV May 90
TV Jun 85
TV Jul 65
TV Aug 70
TV Sep 80
TV Oct 93
TV Nov 99
TV Dec 80
Smart Phones Jan 100
Smart Phones Feb 60
Smart Phones Mar 95
Smart Phones Apr 75
Smart Phones May 100
Smart Phones Jun 60
Smart Phones Jul 95
Smart Phones Aug 75
Smart Phones Sep 109
Smart Phones Oct 80
Smart Phones Nov 109
Smart Phones Dec 75
Computers Jan 50
Computers Feb 55
Computers Mar 51
Computers Apr 40
Computers May 45
Computers Jun 30
Computers Jul 39
Computers Aug 45
Computers Sep 56
Computers Oct 39
Computers Nov 48
Computers Dec 44
  • To install ChartExpo into your Excel, click this link.
  • Open the worksheet and click the Insert button to access the My Apps option.
insert chartexpo in excel
  • Select ChartExpo add-in and click the Insert button.
open chartexpo in excel
  • Once ChartExpo is loaded, you will see a list of charts.
list of charts in excel
  • Look for “Radar Chart” in the list of charts.
search radar chart in excel
  • Select the data in the worksheet and click the Create Chart From Selection button, as shown above.
create radar chart in excel
  • Check out the final chart.
creative data visualizations chart

The chart above shows the individual performances of television (TVs), smartphones, and computers. You can easily compare all the products orders month wise.

FAQs:

What makes a great data visualization?

A creative data visualization chart should establish two aspects of the data being presented

Firstly, it should highlight the connections between key data points that are complex to explain with words. Secondly, it should make it easier for your audience to quickly understand the data story.

Which data visualization is best?

There’s no single chart we can claim is the magic silver bullet for your problems.

Use creative visualization designs to organize and represent data as digestible insights. Some of the tested and proven charts we recommend you give a try include

  1. Sankey Diagram
  2. Radar Chart
  3. Pareto Chart
  4. Progress Chart
  5. Likert Scale Chart

Wrap Up

Data is beautiful. And this is because it can easily inspire, improve, and bring out the best in your audience. Also, we create a lot of it. While the exact number varies, it’s estimated that the world generated a staggering 60 zettabytes of data in 2021 alone.

With so much data flying around, it’s not surprising that visualization has become such a significant skill to have.

As businesses and governments strive to drive innovation and maintain a competitive edge, visualization is increasingly becoming invaluable.

How much did you enjoy this article?

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