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Grouped Bar Chart

A grouped bar chart is a specific type of bar chart that takes the concept of visualizing category comparisons a step further. Grouped bar charts help you see two things simultaneously:

    1. How totals compare across categories (represented by the height of the bar)
    1. How categories compare to each other (multiple categories are drawn on the X-Axis)

An example of an embedded grouped bar chart

Creating an Effective Grouped Bar Chart

Below are the recommended data types to show on each axis:

  • X-Axis Dates, Categorical data
  • Y-Axis Numerical values
  • Group Axis Categorical data

When to use a Grouped Bar Chart

  • Multiple Comparisons: Grouped bar charts can be used to showcase how multiple datasets behave within the same categories. Ex: comparing sales figures across product lines, customer satisfaction by demographics, or social media engagement metrics for different platforms.
  • Focus on Within-Group Analysis: Use a grouped bar chart to examine how values differ between subcategories within a single main category.
  • Highlighting Trends Over Time: When using time-based categories on the x-axis, grouped bar charts can effectively visualize trends within each dataset.