Diagram Atlas

AnalysisDRAFT ENTRY

Bar chart

A quantitative chart using a common baseline and bar length to make categorical differences easy to judge.

Use this diagram to generate

USE WHEN

Comparing discrete categories or ranked values.

AVOID WHEN

The primary task is seeing continuous change over time.

VISUAL GRAMMAR

01categories02common baseline03value scale04bars

SEMANTIC RULES

Start a magnitude axis at zero.
Sort when order has no natural meaning.
Label units and timeframe.

QUESTIONS IT ANSWERS

Which category is largest?
How large is the difference?

DRAFT MACHINE CONTRACT

id: bar
status: draft
family: analysis
reading_task: Compare magnitude across categories.
grammar:
  - categories
  - common_baseline
  - value_scale
  - bars
checks:
  - start_a_magnitude_axis_at_zero
  - sort_when_order_has_no_natural_meaning
  - label_units_and_timeframe

Bar chart

Choose by the question you need to answer.