When preparing reports, dashboards or snapshots, it's important to consider the information needs of your audience. This includes the types of charts and graphs that you include to help them understand the data in a meaningful way. With that being said, here are some charts and graphs that you could consider including in your reports, dashboards, or snapshots.
1) Line charts: These are great for visualizing trends over time, such as sales trends, website traffic or social media engagement. They allow you to follow a variable over a period of time and spot patterns or trends. Consider using different colors or line styles to make it easier to distinguish between different data sets.
2) Bar charts: These are used to compare data across different categories, such as product sales by category, demographics or geographic regions. They make it easy to see which categories are doing well and which ones need improvement. Horizontal bar charts can also be used for rankings and comparisons.
3) Pie charts: These are helpful for showing how a single data point is broken down into different subcategories. For example, if you wanted to show a breakdown of website visitors by source, you could use a pie chart. Be sure to keep the number of subcategories to a minimum and make sure the chart is easy to read.
4) Heat maps: These are great for visualizing patterns and trends on a map. For example, you could use a heat map to show where your website visitors are coming from or to highlight areas with high sales volume. They can be useful for identifying areas that need attention or for spotting opportunities for growth.
5) Gauge charts: These are useful for displaying key performance indicators, such as conversion rates or customer satisfaction. They allow you to see at a glance whether you are meeting your goals or falling short. Be sure to use colors and labels effectively to make it easy to understand the information being presented.
Keep in mind that the type of chart or graph you choose will depend on the specific information you are trying to convey, as well as the preferences of your audience. Always test different charts and graphs to see which ones work best for your data and users.