Comments on: Bad Graphics – Funnel Chart

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:41:23 +0000

A funnel cloud is a funnel cloud because it is shaped like a kitchen funnel. By the shape analogy, then, I guess a funnel chart is a funnel chart because it is shaped like a kitchen funnel.

However, users of funnel charts talk about sales (or other information) flowing through the funnel, mimicking not only the shape but also the function of a kitchen funnel. Their analogy, not mine. Since the term is used in this way, it is just fine to say this functional analogy is flawed.

There is another type of funnel chart which uses horizontal bars to show the spread of several factors, min to max, along a horizontal value axis. These factors are sorted to show the larger bars (wider spreads) at the top. Due to appearance alone, this chart is called a funnel or tornado chart.

By: zoomzoom

zoomzoom — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:02:33 +0000

i think this is just dumb drawing analogies with physical things with narrow interpretations and I actually stopped reading there. what if I envision my funnel as one with a closed bottom? btw, not all funnels work like your kitchen funnel. A funnel cloud for example doesn’t have anything flowing through it. Its a funnel cloud because the upper part is larger than the bottom part. in other words its a cone.

By: Ulrich Seidl

Ulrich Seidl — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:56:19 +0000

Hello Jon,

http://dict.leo.org/ende?lang=en&lp=ende&search= mostly worked fine for me.

The good news is, as they told me at Hichert+Partner, that they are working on an english version of their site.
If you are interested in a special chart they can translate it into english as well.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:39:48 +0000

Ulrich -

Thank you for the links. Do you know of a reliable English translation? The Google and Babelfish translators are okay, but they do miss a few things/

By: Ulrich Seidl

Ulrich Seidl — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:52:45 +0000

Jon,
Rolf Hichert on his HI-SUCCESS-Rules poster ( http://www.hichert.com/de/shop/poster/203 ) agrees with you defining under 4.3 CHECK Visualization – the rule number 4.3.1 Replace radar, funnel and other misleading structure charts.

For more examples of good and bad charts see:
http://www.hichert.com/de/software/exceldiagramme/55

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:11:24 +0000

You’re right. If your goal is to represent data to a data-minded audience, the funnel is just distracting.

But if you need to show a general idea, the funnel is a concept that more people will understand, which is sure to make it more powerful.

Simply put, it’s bigger at the top and smaller at the bottom. Your audience probably won’t think it through more than that.

By: hnb

hnb — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:20:15 +0000

Thank you, I nearly wanted to write something similar myself. This is just a horrible concept..

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:33:08 +0000

The waterfall plot isn't bad. Have you tried my waterfall utility?

By: derek

derek — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:30:22 +0000

No problem. By the way, I feel I owe my particular company's bosses an apology, since I have been seeing a large number of diagrams all about progressive shavings-off of an initial figure to get a diminished final figure, and the preferred graph form for it that seems to float their boat is not the Sankey diagram but the waterfall graph, which is reasonable enough.

By: Jon Peltier

Jon Peltier — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:27:33 +0000

I can’t find a setting in WordPress to change this. Maybe there’s some plugin I don’t have, or some code I could write, but I’m not a web designer. Just make a blatant note in a post and I’ll embed the image.