Comments on: Marimekko Replacement – Overlapping Bars (Hard) http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/marimekko-replacement-overlapping-bars-hard/ Peltier Tech Excel Charts and Programming Blog Wed, 23 May 2012 03:01:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Peter Bartholomew http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/marimekko-replacement-overlapping-bars-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-177707 Peter Bartholomew Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:40:54 +0000 http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/?p=1608#comment-177707 Sorry Jon. I have just realised that my previous post shared an exploration of 'alternative solutions' without first commenting to explain the problems I have with the, admittedly technically ingenious, presentations proposed above. The first is that for any chart with a large number of series the total will, by definition, be 'off the scale' as far as the individual series values are concerned. The second is that, although I 'understand' that if I stacked the series columns top to bottom they fit exactly within the outer box in terms of height I cannot help seeing the container as being much 'bigger' because of its width. This made me think that the ideal for the 2x2 panel version of your chart would be to scale the upper panels so that the height is determined by the series average. Visually, since the areas (totals) of the upper and lower panels are then identical, a more intuitive link is made. The ideas I posted are merely attempts to recombine the top and bottom elements of the panels into one - overlapping column charts didn't work too well. Sorry Jon. I have just realised that my previous post shared an exploration of ‘alternative solutions’ without first commenting to explain the problems I have with the, admittedly technically ingenious, presentations proposed above.

The first is that for any chart with a large number of series the total will, by definition,
be ‘off the scale’ as far as the individual series values are concerned.

The second is that, although I ‘understand’ that if I stacked the series columns top to bottom they fit exactly within the outer box in terms of height I cannot help seeing the container as being much ‘bigger’ because of its width.

This made me think that the ideal for the 2×2 panel version of your chart would be to scale the upper panels so that the height is determined by the series average. Visually, since the areas (totals) of the upper and lower panels are then identical, a more intuitive link is made.

The ideas I posted are merely attempts to recombine the top and bottom elements of the panels into one – overlapping column charts didn’t work too well.

]]> By: Peter Bartholomew http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/marimekko-replacement-overlapping-bars-hard/comment-page-1/#comment-177549 Peter Bartholomew Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:51:38 +0000 http://peltiertech.com/WordPress/?p=1608#comment-177549 Jon I have put a couple of, what I consider to be, plausible options for combining a series average/series total with the initial line or column charts. I would value your opinion. Meanwhile I will spend a little more time looking through other material you have posted. https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=59A816B11701AEAC&id=59A816B11701AEAC%21104 Jon

I have put a couple of, what I consider to be, plausible options for combining a series average/series total with the initial line or column charts. I would value your opinion. Meanwhile I will spend a little more time looking through other material you have posted.

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=59A816B11701AEAC&id=59A816B11701AEAC%21104

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