this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2025
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You should know that pie charts are widely seen as being very ineffective ways of communicating data.
All of the examples of bad pie charts are completely different than a pie chart viewed straight on with only two values. You know, the thing pie charts are perfect for.
With only 2 values? Why would you want that? And what makes you believe they're as good as a bar chart for that?
why would you use a bar chart to display a proportion?
Because it's easier for humans to read?
i'm not convinced that's true though. bar graphs are best for visualizing a simplification of an aggregate set and comparing it against a related aggregate set. that doesn't sound like a good way to visualize a proportion. much better to display a whole broken down into the componets of that whole.
Ok, well the people I linked to have done actual usability studies to back up their claims. But, you have a feeling?
i read them and am not refuting them. the conversation is about bad and good situations for pie charts. we're talking about a scenario in which what is being compared is two proportions. a scenario in which the articles you linked said a pie chart is a reasonable visualization
Reasonable, but not as good as a simple bar chart.