Visualization types

Pie Chart

Comparative

Also known as: circle chart

A pie chart is a circular graph that presents values as proportionate slices.

Before using a pie chart, consider using a bar chart or displaying numeric values directly for improved usability.

Pie charts are one of the most commonly used data visualizations but are often not the most effective way to compare data values. This is mainly due to the size of each slice and the number of data categories being represented. Pie charts can also be represented as a doughnut chart, which is generally better for users to compare the size of each slice or arc.

Examples

Management in U.S. Manufacturing

How many key performance indicators were monitored at this establishment?

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National Bureau of Economic Research, and Stanford University; 2015 Management and Organizational Practices Survey (MOPS). Accessed in March 2019.

Guidance

In addition to the guidance provided in this section, relevant guidance can also be found in the Agency Logo, Axes, Colors, Grids, Labels, Legends, Source, Titles, Typography sections.

Requirements

Always

Include a legend or label slices directly.
Ensure that the values of the slices total to 100%.

Never

Never use three dimensional (3D) graphics as they distort the visual calculation of volume.

Recommendations

Not Recommended

Don’t include large gaps between each slice, such as in an exploded pie chart.
Don’t use multi-level pie charts as they are difficult to decipher.